Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-07-31

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 7.5)

The plans display the changes made to a cafe in a college after it was redesigned.

Overall, the cafe has introduced new services such as a salad bar, barbeque and coffee bars which provide more food and drink options for students. Furthermore, the seating arrangement has also been expanded.

Before the cafe was redesigned, there was a small kitchen and serving area in the north-western corner. The serving area had all kinds of foods and drinks. The main seating area in the cafe had two dining rooms reserved for college staff. Inside the cafe, there was a bin to throw all the trash and washrooms built in the south-east corner. Most of the area inside the cafe was utilized to provide seating for students.

The area covered by the cafe remains the same even after changes were made. The serving area which previously served all types of foods and drinks now only serve hot meals. The staff dining rooms have been transformed into a coffee bar and a take away food area. There have been no changes to the toilets but several more trash cans have been placed where previously only one bin was placed. There is also a bar for serving salads in the west corner of the main cafe hall. To provide more seating area for students, an outdoor seating arrangement has been introduced in addition to the already existing indoor table and chairs. Alongside the outdoor seating, a barbeque section has also been introduced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses the task by summarizing the key changes between the two plans. You have identified the main features, such as the introduction of the salad bar, barbeque, and coffee bar, and noted the expansion of seating. The comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is clear. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more analytical overview that synthesizes the information rather than just listing changes. For instance, highlighting the shift from a staff-focused dining area to a more diverse, student-oriented social space would demonstrate a stronger grasp of the overall trends presented in the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the 'before' and 'after' states. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Before', and 'In addition to' are used effectively to guide the reader through the information. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is generally clear. To improve, you could vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid a somewhat mechanical feel in the transition between sentences, but overall, the structure is sound and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'redesigned', 'transformed', 'utilized', and 'arrangement'. The terminology is accurate and appropriate for a report on a visual diagram. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations or less common vocabulary related to spatial descriptions, such as 'reconfigured', 'designated', or 'spacious', to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'The serving area which previously served all types of foods and drinks now only serve hot meals.' There are a few minor errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('now only serve' should be 'serves'), but these are infrequent and do not hinder understanding. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence structures are varied enough to maintain a good flow throughout the report.

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