Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-07
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 5.0)
The blueprint depicts a college cafe's past interior it was redeveloped and how it looks now.
Overall, the college cafe has been modernised considerably. While they used staff dining rooms as a take away food and coffee bar. They include more area as a outdoor seating.
To begin with before redesign, it have certain range to things in cafe which looks low qualities of this cafe. However, it has tables and chairs near by staff dining rooms as well as kitchen and serving area which serves all food and drinks.
The second plan, 'Café today', features a Kitchen, separate areas for Hot meals, Salad bar, Take away food, and a Coffee bar, a main Tables and chairs area, Toilets, and Recycling bins. This design adds a Barbecue and Outdoor seating area with 4 tables: one with 2 chairs, one with 4 chairs, and two with 6 chairs each, totaling 18 outdoor seats.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task by describing the changes between the two plans. However, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant transformations. While the student mentions the modernization, the description of the 'before' state is vague and relies on subjective commentary ('low qualities') rather than objective reporting of the layout. The inclusion of specific details about the outdoor seating is good, but the overall report lacks a cohesive comparison of the spatial changes, such as the removal of the staff dining room in favor of specialized food stations. To improve, focus on identifying the main trends, such as the expansion of the kitchen and the diversification of dining options.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and grammatical errors. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the abrupt transition 'To begin with before redesign'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two plans. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks a smooth progression of ideas. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically on the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and sometimes imprecise. Phrases like 'certain range to things' and 'low qualities' are vague and do not accurately describe the architectural or layout changes shown in the plans. There is a lack of variety in the descriptive language used to report the features. While the student correctly identifies some of the facilities (e.g., 'Salad bar', 'Recycling bins'), the overall range is insufficient to convey the information with precision. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more specific vocabulary related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', 'converted', or 'integrated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('it have certain range'), tense usage ('before redesign, it have'), and sentence structure (fragments like 'While they used staff dining rooms as a take away food and coffee bar'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some errors in punctuation. Complex sentence attempts are often faulty, which affects the overall readability. Focusing on basic sentence construction and ensuring consistent verb tenses when describing past and present states is essential for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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