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 plans illustrates a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
Overall, the cafe before before it was redesigned and it offered fewer facilities to college students whereas after redesigned it offers more facilities and well established as compared to previous one.
Before the redesign, the kitchen was situated in the top left corner, with serving area for food and drinks slightly below it. The central part of cafe contained tables and chairs while two staff dinning rooms have two large tables and chairs inside slightly in the middle in the cafe. In addition, there was a small toilets in the right corner of the cafe, bin was also situated in the upper side of the toilets.
In contrast, the rectangular part for kitchen and serving area is changed in hot meals. Two staff dinning rooms has completely disappeared and split it into two different rooms one is take away food and another one is cafe bar. Salad bar is introduced in the left side beneath the hot meal area. However, barbecue is installed outside the cafe. Tables and chairs are allocated outdoor for seating purpose.
To sum up, after redesigned the cafe is more stylish and established.
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, including the kitchen, dining areas, and new additions like the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the overview is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, concise summary of the most significant changes. While the key information is presented, the description of the layout is occasionally confusing, such as the reference to 'hot meals' replacing the kitchen area, which is not entirely accurate based on the visual data. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most striking transformations rather than just stating that the cafe is 'more stylish'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, moving from an introduction to the 'before' state, then the 'after' state, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast', 'In addition', and 'To sum up', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the repetitive sentence structure in the second paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the layout and changes. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'rectangular part' and 'allocated', but the range is limited. Some word choices are imprecise or non-standard, such as 'well established' to describe a cafe's facilities or 'split it into' when referring to the rooms. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'staff dinning rooms' (should be 'dining'). To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to floor plans and spatial arrangements.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The plans illustrates', 'two staff dinning rooms has'), missing articles ('a small toilets'), and awkward phrasing ('after redesigned the cafe is'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure often feels clunky. To improve, the student should focus on basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions when describing locations.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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