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 plan illustrates the layout of the college cafe before it was

redesigned and how it looks today.

Overall, the cafe has been significantly modernised. While the kitchen and toilets have remained the same as they were. Several new amenities have been introduced like a coffee bar, takeaway food counter, dessert section and outdoor seating.

Before the redesign, the kitchen was located in the upper left corner with a serving area. The center of the cafe was occupied by tables and chairs. While two staff dining room were located middle of the building. A bin and toilets were situated on the right side near the entrance.

After the renovation, the serving area was replaced with a hot meals counter inside the kitchen. Staff dining room was replaced with two new sections coffee bar and take away food counter. Added a salad bar near the entrance of the kitchen for that costumers those who are diet. Outside of the cafe introduced a dessert section with seating arrangement. Bin converted into recycling bins and toilets and kitchen has remained the same as it before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign well. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the addition of the coffee bar and the conversion of the staff dining area. However, the overview is slightly hampered by grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'While the kitchen and toilets have remained the same as they were.' To reach a higher band, ensure your overview is a complete, grammatically sound sentence. You have clearly contrasted the 'before' and 'after' states, which is essential for this task type.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the 'before' and 'after' states. Paragraphing is used appropriately. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'While' at the start of sentences. Additionally, some transitions between ideas are abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences by using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') would enhance the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'modernised', 'amenities', and 'renovation'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'for that costumers those who are diet' and 'middle of the building'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly unclear. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your descriptive phrases are grammatically integrated into the sentences.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'Staff dining room was replaced' lacks an article, and 'Added a salad bar' is missing a subject. The sentence fragment mentioned in the task achievement section also highlights a lack of control over complex sentence construction. To achieve a higher score, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring all sentences are complete.

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