Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-16

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 this letter to suggest some improvements to the reception area where visitors arrive.

The complaints that have been made regarding the lack of seating in the reception area. This is the most common complaint which is raised by customers. It is happen during the peak hours while waiting time because that time some have to stay in a qeu for long hour and they are frustrated during this time. This can lead to first impression is negative and make people discomfort.

Reception area is essential part of our business where people can come and get knowlegde regarding the company. This is the area where people can wait during busy hour and feel comfertable and realx themselves. Apart from this, reception can tell us everything about the company such as how they are welcoming and about hostpatility.

I would like give suggestion about improvement at the reception area. Please do sittting arrangement. Provide some extra space and chairs for individuals which really need them.

I Hope you will be considered my suggestion and I look forward to your feedback.

Yours faithfully,

Navjot Dhaliwal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you identify insufficient seating, explain that reception shapes visitors’ first impressions, and recommend adding chairs and space. The complaint is relevant and the importance of the area is explained through its role in welcoming visitors and representing the company. However, some ideas are less fully developed than others. For example, the proposed improvements are limited to seating, and the complaint could be clearer about how often the problem occurs or its practical effects on visitors. The letter’s purpose is clear, but the opening “Dear Sir or Madam” is less suitable for a letter to a known manager; use the manager’s name or title if known. Develop the recommendations with one or two specific, practical details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a coherent overall arrangement: it opens with its purpose, then discusses the complaint, the importance of reception, and possible improvements before closing politely. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages, and phrases such as “Apart from this” signal an additional point. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, however. The sentence beginning “It is happen during the peak hours” does not clearly connect the queue and waiting time, while “This can lead to first impression is negative” leaves the reference of “This” somewhat vague. The final suggestion paragraph is also very brief compared with the earlier explanation. Use clearer links between cause and effect, and organise the recommendations into a fuller, logically connected paragraph.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main points, including task-relevant terms such as “reception area,” “complaint,” “peak hours,” and “first impression.” There are also attempts at more specific language, such as describing the area as a place where visitors learn about the company. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision and sometimes make the reader pause: “qeu,” “knowlegde,” “comfertable,” “realx,” and “hostpatility.” Some phrases are also unnatural, including “do sitting arrangement” and “make people discomfort.” Choose accurate collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, you could say “provide additional seating” and “make visitors feel uncomfortable,” which express your ideas more naturally and precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the overall meaning is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless affect clarity. The opening complaint sentence is a fragment: “The complaints that have been made regarding the lack of seating” needs a main verb, such as “The main complaint concerns a lack of seating.” In “It is happen during the peak hours,” the verb form is incorrect, and “This can lead to first impression is negative” combines structures incorrectly. There are also missing articles and faulty patterns, as in “Reception area is essential part” and “I would like give suggestion.” Practise complete clauses, verb forms, and article use, then proofread each sentence to ensure its parts fit together.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.