Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-04
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,illustrate college cafe way back and how it looks as now after new design.
Overall,part of the kitchen has been renewed to for other duties,staff dining rooms have been removed and there is also new building of recycling.
Firstly,in the kitchen ,there was place for serving area for all food and drinks however after some changes it is the place of Hot meals.l,the other part they have introduced salad bar and Barbecue.Secondly ,On staff dining rooms ,the place changes to Take away food and Coffee bar while Tables and Chairs are still there.Looking to bin there is Development of recycling that can reduce land pollution since some west can be disposed inside and recycled.However the Toilets did not change anything.
But in the past behind the cafe there was no outdoor seating after redesign they have constructed chairs ,where students can experience fresh air while having their favorite meal from the cafe
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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 redesign, including the kitchen modifications, the addition of a recycling area, and the new outdoor seating. However, the overview is somewhat weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. While the task is addressed, the description of the kitchen area is slightly confusing, and the reporting of the 'staff dining room' change could be more precise. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking transformations, such as the shift from a purely functional space to one that includes more varied dining options and outdoor facilities.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'However' to organize ideas. However, the paragraphing is inconsistent and the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The use of punctuation is problematic, with many missing spaces after commas and periods, which disrupts the reading process. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to specific areas of the cafe. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus, supported by correct punctuation and spacing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'way back' and 'new building of recycling', which sound unnatural. The word 'west' is used instead of 'waste', which is a significant spelling error that impacts clarity. To improve, try to use more specific terminology related to floor plans and design, such as 'renovated', 'relocated', or 'extended'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you convey information more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('the' kitchen), incorrect verb tenses, and issues with subject-verb agreement. Punctuation is a major weakness, as there are many missing spaces after punctuation marks, which makes the text difficult to read. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic mechanical errors will lead to significant improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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