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 plans compares the way in which the college appeared before and after the process of redesigning.
Overall, the sections of Kitchen, table and chairs, toilets and bins remained in the same positions. Not only that but also the plan extended up to some extent.
The plan which prepared before redesigning, there was a separate space for rooms to dine in by staff. Serving area located to the left side of the dining room whereas the area to dump garbage is allocated to the right side. Similarly, in both plans more space was dedicated to the seating area.
After resigning process, several new components were added to the plan such as coffee bar, take away food, salad bar, barbecue, hot meals and outdoor seating area. The litter area remained in the same place. However it was advanced to the option of recycling. A new concept of hot meals was combined to kitchen as well.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe plans, identifying key changes such as the addition of the coffee bar and outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview. The statement 'the plan extended up to some extent' is vague and does not accurately describe the physical expansion of the building. Furthermore, the description of the 'before' state is slightly inaccurate, as the original plan did not have a 'separate space for rooms to dine in by staff'—it was a general dining area. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the two plans could be more precise and better structured to highlight the transformation effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the 'before' to the 'after' state. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'Not only that but also the plan extended up to some extent.' The transition between the description of the original layout and the new additions is functional but lacks sophisticated linking. Paragraphing is present, but the logical flow within the paragraphs could be improved by grouping related features more effectively rather than listing them in a somewhat disjointed manner.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are some awkward word choices, such as 'resigning process' (likely meant 'redesigning') and 'dump garbage' (which is informal). The phrase 'advanced to the option of recycling' is also slightly unnatural. While the student successfully uses topic-specific vocabulary like 'coffee bar', 'salad bar', and 'outdoor seating area', the range is limited. To achieve a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal or imprecise phrasing when describing the changes in the layout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'The plans compares' (subject-verb agreement) and 'The plan which prepared before redesigning' (missing auxiliary verb). Additionally, 'Serving area located to the left' is missing a verb. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic sentence construction and verb tense usage prevent the response from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice when describing the location of features.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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