Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)

The provided plans below illustrates a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

The cafe before redesign first one kitchen west side after that serving area (all food and drink) lower side the kitchen then two staff dining rooms in the mid cafe and a corner has been installed so that men can sit separately and women can sit separately after that table and chairs decrease the staff dining rooms and then south side the one bin and right side the two toilets and main door south west side.

Today cafe, one kitchen west corner then one hot meals drop the kitchen after that salad bar north side more over 1 take away food and there is a coffee bar next door after that tables and chairs are in same place then toilets are in same place and adding the recycling bins and door are in same place after that adding outdoor seating and barbecue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to describe the changes in the cafe, but it fails to provide a clear overview or a logical summary of the main features. The description is fragmented and lacks a professional tone. While it mentions some changes, such as the addition of a salad bar and outdoor seating, the information is presented in a list-like, disjointed manner rather than as a cohesive report. The lack of a clear introduction and the failure to effectively compare the 'before' and 'after' states significantly limit the task achievement. The response reads more like a series of disjointed notes than a structured academic report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text lacks logical organization and progression. There is no clear paragraphing, and the sentences are strung together with repetitive and misused cohesive devices like 'after that'. The referencing is often unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial layout of the cafe. The lack of proper punctuation and sentence structure further hinders the flow of information. The response does not demonstrate a clear overall arrangement of ideas, and the transition between the 'before' and 'after' descriptions is abrupt and confusing.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple nouns and verbs. There is little attempt to use descriptive language or precise terminology related to floor plans or architectural changes. Phrases like 'one kitchen west side' and 'two staff dining rooms' are functional but lack the sophistication required for an Academic Task 1 response. There is no evidence of less common lexical items or an awareness of collocation. The vocabulary is just sufficient to convey the most basic meaning, but it is far below the level expected for this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical range is extremely limited, consisting mostly of simple, fragmented sentences. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, including missing articles ('the' is often omitted), incorrect verb forms, and poor sentence construction. For example, 'The provided plans below illustrates' contains a subject-verb agreement error. The lack of complex structures and the high frequency of grammatical errors make the text difficult to read and understand. Punctuation is almost entirely absent, which further complicates the interpretation of the writer's intended meaning.

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