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 FLOW CHART GIVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLEGE CAFE BEFORE IT WAS PREPARE AND AFTRE THE PREPARATION HOW IT LOOKS.
CAFE BEFORE REDESIGN IN LOOK VERY SIMPLE IN THE PICTURE AND TODAY CAFE ARE LOOKING GOOD, COMPAIR TO FIRST PHOTOES.TODAY CAFE SALAD BAR,COFFEE BAR, OUTDOOR SEATING BARBECUE, ETC AVAILABLE.BUT IN PREVIOUS CAFE FEW THINGS ARE AVAILABLE.
BEFORE THE REDESIGN, THE KITCHEN AND SERVING AREA WERE LOCATED IN UPPER LEFT CORNER OF CAFE. TABLES AND CHAIRS PLACE INTO MAIN ENTERENCE, TWO STAFF DINING ROOM WERE LOCATED IN UPPER MIDDLE SECTION OF THE CAFE. TOILETS ARE INTO THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF CAFE. BIN ARE LOCATED NEAR TO THE TOILETS.
AFTER THE REDESIGN, THE KICHEN AND HOT MEALS WERE LOCATED IN UPPER LEFT CORNER. TAKE AWAY FOOD AND COFFEE BAR REPLACE TO STAFF DINING ROOMS. ALSO TABLE AND CHAIRS ARE INTO MAIN ENTERENCE IN CAFE. TOILETS AND RECYCLING BINS ARE WERE LOCATED AT THE SAME PLACE. ADD BARBECUE AT THE LOWER SIDE OFF THE CAFE. SALAD BAR IS LOCATED TO NEAR THE BARBECUE. OUTDOOR SEATING PLACE IS INTODUCE IN THE PRESENT CAFE.
OVERALL, MORDEN CAFE LOOK GOOD COMPARE TO PAST CAFE. IN THE MORDEN CAFE SOME NEW FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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, seating, and new additions like the barbecue and salad bar. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and relies on listing features rather than making meaningful comparisons. The overview is quite basic and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. To improve, you should focus on synthesizing the information—for example, noting how the layout has been optimized for a more modern, service-oriented flow—rather than just describing the location of items in each room.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'are located', 'are into'). There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The progression of information is clear, but the transitions between the 'before' and 'after' states could be smoother. Improving the variety of cohesive devices, such as using 'whereas', 'subsequently', or 'in contrast', would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic descriptors like 'good' or 'simple'. There are several spelling errors, such as 'KICHEN', 'MORDEN', and 'COMPAIR', which distract the reader. While you successfully identify specific features like 'salad bar' and 'outdoor seating', the range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. You should aim to use more precise verbs and adjectives to describe changes, such as 'transformed', 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'introduced', rather than repeating 'are located' or 'look'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'THE FLOW CHART GIVE', 'CAFE ARE LOOKING', 'TOILETS ARE INTO'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods and incorrect capitalization. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on consistent tense usage—using the past tense for the original layout and the present tense for the current one—and work on constructing more complex, error-free sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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