Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The map highlights that how much college cafe had transfromed during these years.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that over the period, the area witnessed dramatic changes, While kitchen, table & chairs and toilets remaine unchanged. The most noticeable change is the out door sitting.

Initially, the cafe was quite simple. The serving area was attached with the kitchen and two spearate room was given specially to the staff members. The toilets were at the corner of the cafe.

Considering today, the cafe is fully mordernized. The both staff dining area are replaced with take away food and coffe bar. The barbecue area is construsted out side of the cafe with sitting with enjoyable views. The salad bar is placed on the left side of the cafe. There was only on serving area

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad transformation and give an overview, noting that the kitchen, seating and toilets remain, while new outdoor seating is a major change. You also report the replacement of the staff rooms with takeaway food and a coffee bar, and mention the salad bar and barbecue. However, the account is incomplete and some details are unclear: the new hot-meals counter and recycling bins are omitted, and the final sentence, “There was only on serving area,” does not clearly explain the change. The outdoor area is mentioned but not fully described, including its access from the south and tables. The response is also 16 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Develop the main comparisons more fully and accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the earlier and current layouts. This helps the reader follow the broad sequence of changes. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Initially,” and “Considering today” signal the stages, although the last phrase is not a natural transition and the final sentence feels disconnected from the description before it. Some information is grouped loosely: the outdoor seating and barbecue are mentioned together, but the new internal features are not presented in a clear, complete order. Use a consistent route through the plan, such as describing the north, interior, and south, and connect each comparison explicitly. This would make the progression smoother and references clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “serving area,” “staff members,” “take away food,” “coffee bar,” and “salad bar.” There is also an attempt to vary wording with “transformed” and “modernized.” However, spelling errors such as “transfromed,” “spearate,” “mordernized,” and “construsted” are noticeable, and some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “out door sitting” and “with sitting with enjoyable views” do not clearly describe the facilities shown. “Fully modernized” is also a broad judgement rather than a precise description. Aim for accurate plan vocabulary and check spelling; phrases such as “outdoor seating area” and “four dining tables” would communicate the features more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and more developed sentences, including the overview beginning “While kitchen, table & chairs and toilets…” and the comparison of the former staff rooms with the new facilities. However, errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and tense are frequent enough to make some parts difficult to interpret. For example, “how much college cafe had transformed” is not a well-formed indirect question, and “two separate room was given” has a plural subject with a singular verb. The overview’s “While” clause is left without a complete grammatical structure, while “The both staff dining area are replaced” has problems with article use, number, and verb form. Practise complete clauses and consistent past/present forms, then proofread agreement and punctuation.

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