Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-07

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 plans below illustrate the transformation of a cafe after redesigning it.

Overall, the new changes helped using the space more correctly and adding better structure to the cafe with separating the areas and adding new features to the shop.

Adding a new recycling bins instead of a regular bin helps with trash and recycling mission later

also using staff dining rooms to take away and a coffe bar instead of a serving area for all kind foods and drinks and also building salad bar on the last of the cafe helps with organisations of tasks between the employees and provide shorter lines so serving is faster.

Also we can see the whole outdoor section that was added with the new design , we can see a barbecue stand at the lefrt of the outdoor section and also added new outdoor seating to provide for the patient more themes (outdoor indoor seatings) and more sots as well

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the staff dining rooms with takeaway and coffee facilities, the addition of a salad bar, recycling bins, and outdoor seating with a barbecue. The opening overview also recognises that the café has been reorganised. This covers the main transformation, and the response shows some awareness of how the new features affect the space. However, the account is selective and sometimes unclear: it does not mention that the kitchen and toilets remain, or that the central tables and chairs are retained. Some claimed benefits, such as shorter queues and faster service, are not shown by the plans. To develop the response further, describe the layout changes more precisely and distinguish visible facts from speculation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic progression from an overview to changes inside the café and then the outdoor area, so the reader can follow the broad topic. However, the ideas are not clearly separated into well-shaped paragraphs, and several points are joined into long, loosely connected sentences. The second paragraph, for example, combines recycling, staff dining rooms, food counters, and the salad bar without clear transitions. Linking words such as “also” are repeated, while the final sentence contains several ideas that are difficult to follow. Organise the response into a concise overview and separate paragraphs for internal and external changes. Use clear spatial or contrastive links, such as “inside,” “by contrast,” and “to the south,” to make relationships explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “redesign,” “recycling bins,” “outdoor seating,” and “barbecue.” These terms help identify several key features. However, the range is limited, and a number of word choices or combinations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “using the space more correctly,” “recycling mission,” “on the last of the cafe,” and “more themes.” Spelling errors such as “coffe,” “lefrt,” and “sots” also reduce precision. Aim for neutral, map-focused language rather than claims about service benefits: for example, say that facilities were “added” or “relocated,” and describe their positions directly. Check spelling and use natural collocations when explaining what changed.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentence structures, including a sentence beginning “also using staff dining rooms…” and a final sentence that links the barbecue and seating. However, these attempts are often difficult to control, and the range of sentence patterns is limited. For example, “Overall, the new changes helped using the space…” has an awkward verb pattern, while “also building salad bar… helps… and provide” shifts between forms and lacks clear grammatical structure. The final sentence also runs several clauses together, with punctuation that does not clearly mark their boundaries. Use complete, shorter sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement, articles, and verb forms. This will make the comparisons easier to understand.

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.