Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-02

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

There have been several complaints about the reception area where visitors to your company arrive. Your manager has asked you to suggest how the reception area could be improved.

Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

• describe the complaints that have been made
• say why the reception area is important
• suggest how the reception area could be improved

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response of your request for suggestions that,in my opinion, could improve the reception services to our customers.

Due to the lack of sitting space customers have to stand and wait for longer time while receptionists help with other customers, which make them uncomfortable and they always complain about it. Moreover, while waiting time they feel bored because there is nothing for making customers busy or entertain.

As the reception area is one of the vital part of an organisation as it creates the first impression where clients judge the it's value. To attract more customers, this area should conclusively it accelerates the profitability of the company.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the ideas. While you have addressed the three bullet points—describing complaints, explaining the importance of the area, and suggesting improvements—the suggestions are underdeveloped and incomplete. You mention that the area should be improved but fail to provide specific, actionable recommendations (e.g., adding furniture, magazines, or a water cooler). Because the response is 36 words short, the task is only partially addressed, leading to a lower score for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for the format. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'As', which help link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat abrupt due to the lack of length. The final paragraph is particularly disjointed; the sentence 'this area should conclusively it accelerates the profitability' is grammatically broken and lacks a clear logical connection to the previous sentence, making the conclusion difficult to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'reception services', 'vital part', and 'first impression'. However, there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'making customers busy' (which sounds unnatural) and 'the it's value' (a grammatical error). To improve, you should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that hinder the flow of the text. Examples include 'in response of' (should be 'to'), 'wait for longer time' (missing article), 'which make them' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'while waiting time' (incorrect preposition). The sentence structure is mostly simple or contains errors when attempting complexity, such as the final sentence of the letter. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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