Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-30

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 6.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to bring to your attention about several complaints reported by our visitors for the reception area. Majority of them were disappointed by not having a sufficient space to wait or comfortable chairs to seat while waiting.

Firstly, it is crucial for us to improve our reception area, as it gives a first impression to our guests about the property. Most of our clients arrive ahead of their check-inn time and we need to give them a better space by expanding our reception area. Secondly, the receptionist counter is not big enough, only one person at a time can be there.However, we need to replace with broader size table, so more employee can be present there to help our customers.

Lastly, the color of our reception area is not appealing. I believe, we should change it with more warm and trending colors. However, I still need your contributions and suggestions.

Let me know, if you have any queries. I will wait for your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you report limited waiting space and uncomfortable seating, explain that reception creates a first impression, and suggest expanding the area, enlarging the counter, and changing the colours. The purpose of the letter is clear and the suggestions are relevant. The explanation of why reception matters is strongest where you connect it to visitors arriving early, but the complaints and proposed changes could be developed more fully—for example, specify how the lack of seating affects visitors or how additional staff would improve service. The request for your manager’s contribution is courteous, though a more direct recommendation would make your position more decisive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall structure, moving from the complaints to the importance of reception and then to recommendations, with a suitable closing. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Lastly” help the reader follow the points. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, and the relationship between some ideas could be clearer: the counter-size suggestion follows the point about early arrivals without a smooth explanation of how the two connect. “However” is also used where the contrast is not clear, particularly before the recommendation to replace the counter. Grouping each complaint with its corresponding solution and using more precise links would make the cohesion more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal workplace letter, including “first impression,” “visitors,” “receptionist counter,” and “contributions and suggestions.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the tone is generally appropriate. There are some inaccurate or unnatural collocations and word choices, such as “complaints … for the reception area,” “chairs to seat,” and “more warm and trending colors.” “Check-inn time” is also an inaccurate spelling and form. These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and naturalness. Aim for conventional combinations such as “complaints about the reception area,” “chairs to sit on,” and “warmer, more contemporary colours.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause in “as it gives a first impression” and the sentence explaining that only one person can use the counter at a time. Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems persist. For example, “Majority of them” needs a determiner (“The majority”), and “we should change it with” has an incorrect grammatical pattern. In “only one person at a time can be there.However,” a space is needed after the full stop, and the contrastive connector does not fit the relationship. Review articles, prepositions, and sentence boundaries, while continuing to use varied structures.

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