Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-28

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 6.0)

Dear Smith

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you that we are getting many complaints regarding our reception area which is really congested. As we are a cleaning company, getting bad reviews is not good for our reputation. Firstly, a number of people complained that we don't have any seating area near the reception area. Therefore waiting longer makes their day really inconvenient. Secondly, we do not have shoe shelves to keep shoes inside the building. During the winter time, people bring mud and snow with their shoes in the office which makes the ambience really filthy and untidy.

Given these circumstances, I believe we should have a better seating area where people can relax and wait. Other than that having a shoe rack. It might help us to get good reviews. I hope you take these concern seriously and take proper initiatives.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithful

Nancy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you describe the lack of seating and shoe storage, explain that poor reviews could harm the company’s reputation, and recommend seating and a shoe rack. The examples about visitors waiting and bringing in mud or snow make the complaints relevant. However, the importance of reception is only briefly explained through reputation, and the proposed improvements are not developed in much detail. For example, you could explain how comfortable seating would improve visitors’ first impression, or suggest keeping the area clear and providing a suitable place for wet footwear. The purpose is clear throughout, but developing these points more fully would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it opens by stating the concern, presents two complaints, then gives recommendations and closes politely. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Given these circumstances” help the reader follow the progression. This is a coherent structure, and the paragraphs broadly separate the problem from the proposed response. Some connections are less smooth, however. “Other than that having a shoe rack” is a fragment rather than a complete continuation of the recommendation, and “Therefore waiting longer” has an unclear link to the preceding sentence. Use complete sentences and clearer references, such as “This lack of seating means visitors may have to wait uncomfortably.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the situation, including “congested,” “reputation,” “ambience,” and “initiatives.” These choices help explain both the practical complaints and their possible effect on the company. There are also some imprecise or unnatural combinations: “getting bad reviews” is understandable but informal, while “take these concern seriously” uses an incorrect form and sounds less natural. “Shoe shelves” is also less idiomatic than the usual term for this item. The meaning remains clear, but more precise collocations and a consistently professional tone would strengthen the letter. Aim to choose expressions that fit a formal workplace request rather than relying on general phrases such as “really filthy and untidy.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause “As we are a cleaning company” and the relative clause “which makes the ambience really filthy and untidy.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors are present. “Other than that having a shoe rack” is not a complete sentence, and “I hope you take these concern seriously” has a number-agreement error. The opening and closing also need more accurate punctuation and conventional forms: use a comma after “Dear Smith” and “Yours faithfully,”. To improve, check that each recommendation has a subject and finite verb, and review singular/plural agreement and punctuation in formal letter conventions.

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