Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-05

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 map demonstrate a college cafe layout before and after renovation and how it look like now.

Examining the details of the planning of a college cafe before redesigning, there were lots of space. It situated in l shape structure in that the kitchen, a serving area where all food and drinks were served to the students as well as a staff dining rooms are covered two rooms. There were a plenty of place for a tables and chair.

After renovation, a significant changes occur. The new place was introduced on the eastern side with the barbecue facilities with the outdoor seating. There were some space converted for other purposes a staff dinning room converted into a take away food and a coffee bar. A size of recycling bin had been expanded. The number of door has been increased near toilets and the barbecue area. A salad bar was built on the left side of the wall. A serving area was replaced by hot meals. The kitchen as well as toilets remained same.

Overall, the cafe depicts significant changes on their design as well as some new amenities included such as the barbecue, a salad bar, a coffee bar, a hot meals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe renovation, including the addition of the barbecue area, the conversion of the staff room, and the new salad bar. However, the report lacks a clear overview that synthesizes the most significant changes. While the task is addressed, the description is somewhat list-like, and some details, such as the 'recycling bin' expansion, are minor and could have been omitted in favor of a more analytical summary of the overall layout changes. The comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is generally clear, but the lack of a strong summary paragraph limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, moving from an introduction to the 'before' state, then the 'after' state, and a brief conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'There were...'). The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'The new place was introduced', which lacks a specific antecedent. While the overall progression is coherent, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the changes more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the layout and changes effectively. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'renovation' and 'amenities'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'map demonstrate' (should be 'plans show'), 'a plenty of place' (should be 'plenty of space'), and 'the cafe depicts significant changes' (should be 'the plans show significant changes'). These errors do not impede communication but indicate a need for more precise control over word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('The map demonstrate', 'changes occur', 'staff dinning room converted') and article usage ('a tables and chair', 'a staff dinning room'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of these grammatical slips is noticeable. While the meaning remains clear, the lack of consistent accuracy in basic structures prevents a higher score. More attention should be paid to pluralization and verb tense consistency when describing past and present states.

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