Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

sir

i wolud like expain about the problem which are phases by all employes on work and attendents which are arrive in campany firstly reception area not elongated due to small space main issue are like too much rush in small area and some fights among them and difficult to avoid them work employers also phase problem like difficult to find the peoples who in series reception in large area it is representation of any place image of reception give idea about the facilities of campany reception area is improved by giving covering a large space which is mainly at front

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify relevant complaints, including crowding in a small space, arguments, and difficulty locating people, and you explain that reception shapes visitors’ impressions of the company. However, the response addresses the task only partially: the complaints are difficult to interpret in places, and the improvement is limited to “giving covering a large space,” with no practical detail such as seating, clearer directions, or managing visitor flow. The letter also lacks a suitable greeting and closing, and the ideas are not developed enough to make the request clear to your manager. The response is 49 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to explain each point. Develop all three bullet points with specific details and a polite, complete letter format.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic sequence from complaints to the importance of reception and then a proposed improvement, so the reader can identify the intended main points. However, these ideas are compressed into one long, largely unpunctuated passage, with no paragraph breaks or clear transitions. For example, “some fights among them and difficult to avoid them work employers also phase problem” makes the relationship between visitor conflict and staff difficulties hard to follow. The opening also does not clearly introduce the purpose of the letter. Separate the response into paragraphs for the complaints, the importance of reception, and your recommendations. Use simple linking phrases and full stops to show how each point connects.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “reception area,” “small space,” “rush,” and “representation,” and the reader can infer that you are discussing congestion and the company’s image. However, the range is basic and several word choices or spellings make meaning difficult to recover, such as “phases by,” “attendents,” and “not elongated.” Some expressions are also unnatural, including “in series reception” and “giving covering a large space.” Choose familiar, accurate phrases rather than attempting unclear wording: for example, describe visitors as “waiting in a crowded reception area” and recommend “expanding the reception space.” Proofread spelling and check that each phrase expresses the intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect several ideas in longer sentences, but sentence structures are mostly uncontrolled, and errors frequently obscure relationships between ideas. For instance, “the problem which are phases by all employes” has problems with clause structure and subject–verb agreement, while “reception area is improved by giving covering a large space” does not form a clear grammatical recommendation. Articles and sentence boundaries are also often missing, making the passage difficult to read. Use short, complete sentences first, such as “Visitors complain that the reception area is too small.” Then add a few accurately formed complex sentences with “because” or “which.” Check agreement, articles, and punctuation before submitting.

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

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