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 given diagram illustrares the cafe before redesign and how its look today.
Overall, Cafe expanded at few extent with numerous outdoor seating specially for barbecue lovers and salad bar has been added in main area.
It can be vividly seen that, the staff dining rooms has been converted to take away food and coffee bar.In the east side of cafe normal bins transformed in to recycling bins, and new salad bar is constructed to the west side of cafe.However, Kitchen, tables and chairs and toilets remain the same as before after reconstruction.
Moving to the rest of the information, Before redesigning serving area was providing all food and drink but now only hot meals is available in that portion.Additionally, outdoor seating introduced specially for barbecue lovers and two entry and exit points given from inside sitting area.cafe introduced separate section for take out orders and besides that there is a coffee bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of the salad bar, the new outdoor seating, and the conversion of the staff room. You provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between the two plans. However, the response could be improved by ensuring more precise descriptions of the spatial changes. For instance, stating that the kitchen and toilets 'remain the same' is accurate, but the report would benefit from a more structured approach to comparing the before and after states to ensure all key changes are highlighted with greater clarity and detail.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'It can be vividly seen that', and 'Moving to the rest of the information'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear. For example, the transition between the description of the bins and the salad bar feels slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redesign', 'reconstruction', and 'converted'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and minor errors, such as 'illustrares' (spelling), 'at few extent' (incorrect collocation), and 'how its look today' (grammatical error). To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive structures. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher band scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the staff dining rooms has been converted' (subject-verb agreement), 'normal bins transformed in to' (missing auxiliary verb), and 'only hot meals is available' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and punctuation. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex grammatical forms. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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