Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-14

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 Mr.John,

I am writing to express my suggestions regarding the improvement of reception area.

I am Shweta,one of your employees of your renowned hotel. As I am working as a receptionist and regularly deal with the problems that are faced by the customers who stayed in our place.However, most of the people complain about the space that are insufficient seating area at reception side.Furthermore,there are less number of staff allotted in the front desk so it causes problem during dealing with the customers.

The front area is very attractive place for visitors who want to stay in our vicinity.The decoration and the presentation of a one area describe the whole place of hotel and it is very crucial point to deal with the new visitors who want to book accommodation.

I would suggest some possible remedies for the improvement of our front office.It would be great if you could hire some efficient staffs for the reception.Also, you should expand the interior and seating and for the customer so that everyone able to seat comfortably.

I hope for your kind consideration.

Yours sincerely,

shweta.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you report complaints about insufficient seating and too few reception staff, explain that the reception area shapes visitors’ impressions of the hotel, and suggest hiring staff and expanding the seating area. The purpose of the letter is clear and the suggestions are relevant. However, some points are less fully developed than others. For example, you could explain how long waits or a crowded reception affect visitors, and make the proposed changes more specific, such as adding chairs or arranging staff coverage at busy times. The importance of reception is mentioned, but the explanation is brief. A more complete account of the complaints and their effects would make the response more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall structure: an opening purpose, a paragraph describing the complaints, an explanation of the reception’s importance, and a paragraph of recommendations. This makes the main message easy to follow. You also use linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Also,” and “so that” to connect ideas. At times, however, the connections feel mechanical, and some references are unclear—for instance, “the presentation of a one area” does not clearly identify what area you mean. The transition from introducing yourself to describing customer complaints could also be smoother. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each recommendation directly to the complaint it addresses to strengthen the progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for a workplace letter, including “reception,” “visitors,” “decoration,” “presentation,” and “accommodation.” These choices communicate the topic, and phrases such as “possible remedies” show an attempt to use more formal language. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “at reception side,” “less number of staff,” and “expand the interior and seating.” Some expressions are also vague, such as “our vicinity” and “one area.” Aim for precise, natural combinations—for example, “the reception area,” “too few staff members,” and “increase the seating capacity.” This would make your meaning clearer and your formal tone more consistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional suggestion (“It would be great if you could…”) and a purpose clause (“so that…”). The overall meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “I am Shweta, one of your employees” needs spacing and clearer sentence construction, while “the space that are insufficient seating area” has problems with clause structure and subject–verb agreement. In “everyone able to seat comfortably,” the verb phrase is incomplete, and “customers who stayed” shifts tense awkwardly in this context. Work on complete sentence patterns, agreement, articles, and consistent tense. More accurate control of these structures would make the letter easier to read.

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