Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09
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 of cafe which are given show how it looked like before it was redesigned and after it was recreated. There were a significant changes after it was rebuilt .
The college cafe had a kitchen and a serving area ( all food and drink) in the north while changes were made and hot meals area was constructed after it was reconstructed in place of serving area. The staff dining room area was replaced by the take away food and coffee bar . There was an addition of salad bar at the west side of the college cafe. The barbecue and outdoor seating area was not available in old cafe after it's recreation these were made and hold the massive area for outdoor seating . These changes were made for the cafe such as an addition of staff dining room, salad bar , barbecue, hot meals and outdoor seating area.
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, such as the kitchen, serving areas, and the addition of outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for Band 7+. The description is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the final sentence where features already mentioned are listed again. While the main points are identified, the lack of a cohesive summary and the slightly disorganized presentation of the changes prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into two paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the 'before' and 'after' states is often mechanical, and the use of cohesive devices is limited. For example, the phrase 'These changes were made for the cafe such as...' is a repetitive way to conclude the report. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow of information feels disjointed rather than building a clear narrative of the transformation.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is significant repetition of basic terms like 'area', 'cafe', and 'changes'. Phrases such as 'recreated' and 'reconstructed' are used, but they are not always the most natural collocations for describing architectural changes. The range is limited, and the student struggles to use more sophisticated vocabulary to describe the spatial layout or the nature of the modifications.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that affect readability. There are issues with article usage ('the north', 'in old cafe'), subject-verb agreement, and awkward phrasing ('how it looked like'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. While the student attempts some complex sentence structures, they are often marred by errors, such as 'There were a significant changes' and 'after it's recreation'. The control over basic grammar is inconsistent.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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