Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The map illustrate changes that took place in a college cafe.

Overall, It can be seen that, The cafe become considerably more developed today. Several new facilities were constructed, including barbecue, salad bar and coffee bar. However, The kitchen, toilets, table and chairs remained unchanged.

Now, The serving area all food and drink was replaced by hot meals it was located in the north-west. Salad bar was constructed situated to the west area. Staff dinning rooms were replaced by take away food and coffee bar were located in the northern area. Although kitchen stayed the same.

One bin area was there but after redesign it become larger in the east side. The barbecue is established to the south-west corner. Moreover the outdoor seating is added in cafe located in south. Furthermore The tables and chairs was retained and it situated in

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main features of the redesign, such as the new barbecue and salad bar, the description is incomplete and lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the changes. The final sentence is cut off mid-thought, indicating an unfinished response. To improve, ensure you provide a comprehensive overview of all major changes and maintain a consistent focus on comparing the 'before' and 'after' states. You must also ensure the response reaches the minimum length to avoid a penalty.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by fragmented sentences and awkward transitions. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'The' at the start of sentences. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of new facilities. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the comparison of the two maps.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic verbs like 'was' and 'remained' throughout the text. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'The serving area all food and drink was replaced by hot meals' and 'Staff dinning rooms'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', 'expanded', or 'converted'. Additionally, ensure you use correct terminology for the features shown on the map to demonstrate a more sophisticated range of language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'The map illustrate', 'The tables and chairs was retained') and incorrect article usage. The sentence structures are predominantly simple, and the attempt at complex sentences is often faulty or incomplete. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary capitalization of words like 'The' in the middle of sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and proofreading for sentence fragments. Aim to vary your sentence structure by using relative clauses or passive voice constructions more accurately.

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