Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12

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 layout of a college cafe prior to its change and how it looks today.

Overall, the cafe has undergone significant changes with multiple new facilities and amenities now. Moreover, the cafe area increased its capacity by arranging outdoor seating facilities for students. More shops have been added now.

Before the redesign, the cafe had a simple layout where staff had two separate dining rooms near the serving area, where all food and drink used to be served after preparing them in the kitchen just beside the area. There was a huge space for students to enjoy their meal in the tables and chair area which still exists. Additionally, at the north-west part, toilets and bin facilities were present.

However, today the cafe has outdoor seating arrangement beside a barbecue shop, which increased their capacity of serving more students. At the entrance, the toilets area are still present but bin has been upgraded into recycling bins for sustainability. Staff dining rooms no longer exist today as it has been exchanged with take away food and coffee bar. The tables and chair area for students remain the same and a salad bar has been built now in the east part of that area. Even though the kitchen area has not been changed, however, hot meals are served now instead of all prepared food and drink.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of outdoor seating, the salad bar, and the conversion of staff rooms into a takeaway area. You successfully identify the main changes and make relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant transformations. To reach a higher band, ensure that all descriptions are precise; for instance, you mention 'more shops have been added', but the plan only shows a barbecue shop and a coffee bar, which are part of the cafe, not separate shops. Overall, the information is well-selected and effectively reported.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a description of the original layout, and a summary of the changes. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate these sections. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Before the redesign', 'However', and 'Even though' to guide the reader through the comparison. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the past and present states is clearly established. The use of referencing is generally accurate, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the spatial changes described in the plans.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'undergone significant changes', 'capacity', 'sustainability', and 'upgraded'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'exchanged with' (should be 'replaced by') and 'tables and chair area' (should be 'seating area'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise collocations related to spatial descriptions—such as 'situated in the eastern section' or 'the layout was reconfigured'—would enhance the sophistication of your writing and help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'Even though' and 'where' clauses. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'the toilets area are still present' (subject-verb agreement) and 'bin has been upgraded' (missing article). Additionally, the sentence 'Even though the kitchen area has not been changed, however, hot meals are served now' contains a redundant conjunction ('Even though' and 'however' should not be used together). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout, and the punctuation is generally handled well enough to avoid confusion.

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