Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-26

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 Manager

I am writing to know about you the complainys that have been made my the visitors reagrding the exessive waiting time and seating problem.

the reception area is important becaue it ctreates first impression of oir company . Moreover, due to busy schedules everyone want to complete their work within waiting less for their turn for appointment .

i would suggest providing more comfortable seating arrangements will be the best thing for the people to wait because not only they can adjust their seating to their comfort but also can wait for some more time to their turns.Additionally, adding one more emplyoe to front desk would really solve the problem of waiting period in busier times and no one will comapaint about this matter . i will look forward to your response as soon as you reply

yours faithfully

Baljeet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three points: you identify long waits and insufficient seating, explain that reception creates a first impression, and suggest more comfortable seating and an additional front-desk employee. However, the complaints and the importance of reception are only briefly explained, so the ideas remain limited and under-developed. The reason that visitors want to finish their business quickly is relevant, but it does not fully explain why the reception area matters to the company. The response also falls seven words short of the required 150 words. Develop each point with a little more detail—for example, describe how delays affect visitors and how a welcoming reception reflects the company’s professionalism.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a generally understandable order: it introduces the complaints, explains the importance of reception, and then gives recommendations. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Additionally,” and “because” help show relationships between ideas, and the closing is appropriate for a formal letter. This clear overall arrangement supports the reader. To make the progression more polished, separate the main points into distinct paragraphs and use clearer transitions between the explanation and the recommendations. The long recommendation sentence combines seating and staffing ideas, making the relationship between them less easy to follow. Also ensure that sentence beginnings and paragraphing are consistent so the letter reads as a carefully organised whole.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “excessive waiting time,” “seating arrangements,” “first impression,” and “front desk.” These choices communicate the main concerns and proposed solutions. However, the range is limited, and several spelling errors—such as “complainys,” “reagrding,” “exessive,” and “emplyoe”—make the writing look less controlled. Some phrases are also unnatural, including “know about you the complaints” and “wait for some more time to their turns.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise expressions for visitor experience and company image would help you explain the issue with greater clarity and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex structures, including “because it creates…” and “not only… but also…,” and the main message is usually understandable. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. For example, “everyone want” needs subject–verb agreement, while “I am writing to know about you the complaints” has an unclear sentence structure. The recommendation beginning “I would suggest providing…” also needs a clearer grammatical construction, such as “I would suggest providing more comfortable seating.” Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, and the final sentence runs into the closing. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then build longer sentences while checking agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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.