Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11
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 diagram illustrates how college cafe was before and after the undergoing development.
Overall, the new cafe have been more spaces and by adding new sectors to make cafe more attractive like salad bar, recycling bins, barbecue and outdoor eating whereas few section have remind at the same place.
Initially, the old cafe has table and chairs in the center of the cafe which occupy the large area, in the south-east corner there one restroom, in the east the two door entrance and just beside the entry gate there is Bin for waste. Moving to north direction in the main hall here is staff dining rooms, secondly in north-west direction there kitchen and a small sector for serving area for all food and drink.
Following, to new infrastructure the more section have added in the cafe for creating different impact on community people. As we see a new section like salad bar in the west, barbecue and outdoor seating in the south- west direction with 3 large table and 2 small tables. Few sections change by names as staffing dining rooms to 2 different section name take away food and coffee bar in same direction, serving area to hot meals and bins to recycling bins.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of new areas like the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the description of the 'before' state is somewhat disorganized, and the comparison between the two plans lacks precision. While the main changes are identified, the overview is slightly weak, as it does not clearly synthesize the overall transformation. The response addresses the prompt, but the reporting of features could be more analytical to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized 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, such as 'Following, to new infrastructure' and 'secondly in north-west direction'. These transitions feel forced and sometimes impede the flow of information. While there is a logical arrangement of ideas, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved to better link the spatial descriptions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the reader to understand the changes described. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'undergoing development' instead of 'redesign' or 'renovation', and 'community people' which is unnatural. The range is limited, and the student relies on basic descriptors. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and architectural changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'partitioned'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the new cafe have been', 'the old cafe has table'), missing articles ('in the east the two door entrance'), and incorrect prepositional usage ('Moving to north direction'). These errors are persistent and occasionally make the text difficult to follow. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of control over basic grammar and sentence structure limits the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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