Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The plans illustrate a college cafe in the past when it was not reconstruct and now when it enhances.

In overview, there are some differences between the past college cafe and the present college cafe. In present, the college cafe became a significant as compared to old cafe.

In detail, before redesign the cafe have one kitchen as well serving area. But now, the cafe serving area became a hot meal and the kitchen same as a old. In previous, the staff dining rooms have became the take away food and coffee bar. Seating area is same but now, there is became a minor outdoor seating area. In today cafe, there is more than two dishes include name, barbecue and salad bar. There is a more recycling bins in the present. There is no difference between toilets, in the past and right now.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have attempted to identify the main features of the cafe redesign, the description is often unclear or inaccurate. For example, stating the kitchen is 'same as a old' and that the staff dining room 'became the take away food' lacks the necessary precision to convey the changes effectively. You have missed key details such as the relocation of the entrance or the specific layout changes. To improve, ensure you provide a clear overview and support your points with accurate data from the diagrams. The under-length penalty is applied here as the response is 143 words.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. You use basic cohesive devices like 'In overview' and 'In detail', but the internal structure of the sentences is often disjointed. For instance, the transition between discussing the kitchen and the seating area is abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'In today cafe, there is more than two dishes include name', which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of information. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, relying on basic structures to describe the changes. Phrases like 'not reconstruct' and 'it enhances' are grammatically incorrect and imprecise. You struggle to use appropriate terminology for describing visual data, such as 'significant' (used as a noun) or 'in present'. To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise verbs and nouns related to change, such as 'expanded', 'converted', 'relocated', or 'refurbished'. Expanding your range of descriptive language will help you convey the information more clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that impede communication. Examples include 'before redesign the cafe have one kitchen' (tense error), 'the staff dining rooms have became' (incorrect verb form), and 'there is more than two dishes' (subject-verb agreement). You rely almost exclusively on simple sentence structures, and your attempts at more complex sentences are often marred by errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage for describing past and present states, and proofreading for small errors like missing articles ('the' old cafe).

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

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