Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-08
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 maps illustrates a college cafe look before and after renovated and how it looks present. Overall, it is the evident that there has been extensive development, Including the addition of a coffee bar, and out door seating area, a take away food, a salad bar and a barbecue area. In detail kitchen was located on the north side and contained a serving area where food and drinks were available. While a bin was positioned on the eastern side, and toilets were placed on the south side. The tables were located in the center of the college cafe. wheres staff dining rooms were situated on the north side. Today, the kitchen and toilets remained the same placed. wheres the serving area food and drinks were replaced by a hot meals. The staff dining rooms were replaced by a takeaway food and coffee bar, The tables and chairs remained the same place . Moreover, the bin has been replaced by a recycling bins and a salad bar container has been built in the western side, a barbecue and outdoor seating area on the north side.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key additions like the coffee bar and outdoor seating. However, the description of the 'before' state is slightly inaccurate, as the student mentions staff dining rooms on the north side, which is not clearly supported by the visual data provided. While the main changes are highlighted, the overview is somewhat disjointed. To reach a higher band, ensure that all reported information is strictly derived from the provided diagrams and that the overview provides a more cohesive summary of the most significant transformations rather than just a list of additions.
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 often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the use of 'wheres' as a conjunction is incorrect and repetitive, and the transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt. The punctuation is also inconsistent, with several comma splices and unnecessary capitalisation (e.g., 'Including', 'In detail kitchen'). Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate to describe the changes, using terms like 'redesigned', 'replaced', and 'extensive development'. However, there are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'same placed' instead of 'same place' and 'a take away food' instead of 'a takeaway area'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying heavily on simple descriptors. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for spatial descriptions and ensure that nouns and verbs are used in their correct forms to avoid awkward phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but grammatical control is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'The maps illustrates' and 'a barbecue and outdoor seating area on the north side' (missing a verb). Punctuation is a significant issue, with many run-on sentences and incorrect comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of basic grammatical errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence boundaries and basic subject-verb agreement would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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