Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10

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 6.5)

The maps illustrate the structural changes that took place in a college cafe between pre-renovation state and the present day.

Overall, the cafe underwent significant modernization and expansion, transforming from a largely basic area into a fully commercialized zone. The most notable change was the addition of outdoor seating and addition of more sections.

Looking at the north section of the map, the staff dining rooms were completely demolished to make way for two new sections:Take away food and coffee bar. Adjacent to this, the bin was transformed into a recycle bin. In the west side of the indoor area, a salad bar has been added. Additionally, the serving section for food and beverage changed to serve only hot meals.

Conversely, the southern part of the area witnessed a significant expansion. The cafe added an outdoor seating area with three six-seater tables and two four-seater tables. Furthermore, a barbecue place was added in the south-west corner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe renovation, including the structural changes and the addition of new facilities. The overview provides a clear summary of the transformation. However, to reach a higher band, you should ensure all data is presented with greater precision. For instance, you mention 'two new sections' but could have been more specific about their placement relative to the original layout. Additionally, while you mention the outdoor seating, you could have better highlighted the contrast between the indoor-only focus of the original cafe and the expanded indoor-outdoor hybrid model of the current design. Overall, the response covers the requirements well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by location (north and south sections). The use of cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' helps guide the reader through the changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different areas of the cafe. To improve, ensure that transitions between sentences are slightly more varied, as some of the sentence structures feel a bit repetitive. Overall, the flow of information is clear and easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'modernization', 'demolished', and 'commercialized'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'bin was transformed into a recycle bin' (a bin is usually replaced or upgraded, not transformed) and 'commercialized zone', which might not be the most precise term for a college cafe. Expanding your repertoire of descriptive verbs and nouns related to architectural changes would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'between pre-renovation state' (missing an article 'the') and 'addition of outdoor seating and addition of more sections' (repetitive phrasing). Punctuation is generally accurate, and the errors present do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, aim for more variety in complex sentence structures and ensure articles and prepositions are used consistently. The majority of your sentences are clear and error-free, which supports a solid score in this criterion.

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

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