Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-03
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 diagrams depict a college cafe before it was refurbished as well as how it looks in present.
To begin with, after entered to the cafe, bin placed to the left-hand side, followed by toilets located at the south-west corner. Moreover, after reached to the tables and chairs area, the staff dining rooms allocated to the right-hand side. There was a kitchen section at the northern direction attached with serving area for all food as well as drink.
However, after refurbishment, bin, staff dining rooms and serving area are demolished and replaced with recycling bins, take away food with coffee bar and hot meals respectively. Additionally, salad bar is contructed to the eastern side, while barbecue as well as outdoor seating area are opened at the south direction.
Overall, it is evident that, old sections are completely destroyed and replaced with recycling bins, take away food nearby coffee bar and hot meals, while some areas are manufractured like salad bar, barbecue as well as outdoor seating area.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe plans, identifying the key changes such as the removal of the staff dining room and the addition of the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes. The reporting of features is accurate, but the comparison between the two plans could be more integrated. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most striking transformation, such as the shift toward a more modern, customer-focused layout, rather than just listing changes in sequence.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the 'before' and 'after' states, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Additionally' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly repetitive or forced, and the flow between sentences is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression could be smoother to achieve a higher band. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the cafe's development.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for the description of the layout and changes. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and non-standard collocations, such as 'manufractured' (which is incorrect in this context) and 'attached with'. The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptive terms. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to architectural plans and spatial descriptions, such as 'situated', 'adjacent to', 'incorporated', or 'underwent a transformation'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'after entered to the cafe' (incorrect preposition and verb form), 'bin placed' (missing article), and 'how it looks in present' (incorrect prepositional phrase). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and prepositional accuracy would be beneficial.
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