Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagrams illustrate the layout of a college cafe before its renovation and how it appears after the redesign.

Overall, it is clearly seen that before renovation there were few facilities available for the customers but after the renovation the new outdoor seating was build , while barbecue and salad bar can also seen in the new building of the cafe.

The first cafe had serving area near the kitchen but after the reconstruction hot meals can be seen in that area. Moreover staff dining rooms were replaced by take away food and coffee bar. whereas, Toilets, bin and indoor sitting area remained at the same places.

In the new design of the cafe we can clearly see that the salad bar is build inside the cafe near the sitting area before that there was no outdoor space for the customers after renovation the cafe owner facilitate the customers with the barbecue that they can enjoy in the good weather outside the new cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of the outdoor seating, barbecue, and salad bar, as well as the changes to the serving area. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical approach to the comparison. While the main features are identified, the report could be improved by grouping the information more logically—for example, by contrasting the 'before' and 'after' states more systematically rather than jumping between them. The overview is present but could be more concise to better highlight the most significant changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the use of 'whereas' at the start of a sentence or the repetitive use of 'after the renovation'. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. Some sentences are slightly disjointed, and the referencing (e.g., 'that area') could be more precise to ensure the reader always knows exactly which part of the plan is being discussed.

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 topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'renovation', 'reconstruction', and 'facilities'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'the new outdoor seating was build' (should be 'built') and 'facilitate the customers with the barbecue'. The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and tense consistency, such as 'was build' instead of 'was built' and 'can also seen' instead of 'can also be seen'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex grammatical structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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