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 given plans illustrates a college cafe before refurbishment and after the reconstruction. At a glance, the comparison of both the maps is done here.
Overall, there are some new facilities including outdoor sitting and now the cafe is reconstruct in an good way.
To commence with the first change, in the north the kitchen is as it is, but in the front of the kitchen there used to be a serving area for foods and drinks which is now relocate by hot meals. Next, on the east wall the salad bar is included and on the opposite wall of it there was a bin which is replaced by a recycling bin.
In addition, the table and chairs are as it is but in the front of it there was a dining rooms for staff, which is now taken by take away food and coffee bar. Moreover, the toilets remains same and there is new outside area where there are arrangements for seating with a brand new barbecue.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the new outdoor seating and the changes to the serving areas. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the prompt asks for comparisons, the student focuses on listing changes rather than synthesising the information effectively. The overview provided is quite brief and lacks detail regarding the overall transformation of the space. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant changes—such as the shift from a staff-only dining area to a more customer-focused layout—rather than simply stating that the cafe was reconstructed in a 'good way'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the description. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'In addition', and 'Moreover' are used to link ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly forced or repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, 'on the opposite wall of it' is a bit clunky. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a more natural, academic tone. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the use of cohesive devices could be more varied and less mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes clearly. However, there are several instances of awkward word choices and inaccuracies, such as 'reconstruct in an good way' and 'which is now relocate by hot meals'. The phrase 'the toilets remains same' also contains a subject-verb agreement error that affects the precision of the description. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise terminology for spatial descriptions (e.g., 'replaced by', 'converted into') and ensure that collocations are natural and accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'The given plans illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'the cafe is reconstruct' (passive voice error), and 'the toilets remains same' (subject-verb agreement). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, the student should pay closer attention to verb tenses, passive voice construction, and subject-verb agreement, especially when describing changes that have already occurred.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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