Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-13
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 map displays the information about the college cafe before it was reconstructed an how it looks at the persent time.
Overall, the cafe is transformed. Before the redesigned, there was no salad bar, barbecue, outdoor seating. After reconstruction, several things were added which are mentioned up. Staff dining rooms are eliminated in new model of cafe.
Firstly, serving area is eliminated. Serving area is replaced by hot meals. Many new services were introduced in the new design of cafe such as salad bar, barbecue and outdoor coffee. The salad bar is introduced in the west side of cafe. The barbecue is introduced in the west south corner of the cafe. Outdoor seatings are launched in the south of the cafe. Bin are upgrated into recycling bin. Staff dinning rooms are transformed into take away food and coffee bar.The tables and chairs remains same. Also the kitchen and toilets remains same to same. there are 2 new gates are welcomed. The new design of cafe is very informative
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, identifying key changes such as the addition of a salad bar and barbecue, and the removal of the staff dining room. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview. The summary provided is quite simplistic and does not effectively highlight the most significant trends or spatial shifts. While the main features are mentioned, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks the precision required for a higher band. For instance, stating 'The new design of cafe is very informative' is an irrelevant observation that does not contribute to the task of summarising the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'The salad bar is introduced...', 'The barbecue is introduced...'). The logical progression is hindered by short, choppy sentences that lack effective linking words. While the overall arrangement is coherent enough to follow, the lack of sophisticated transitions and the reliance on simple sentence structures make the text feel disjointed. Paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to group related information, such as grouping all additions together versus all removals.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors ('persent', 'upgrated', 'dinning') and awkward collocations ('remains same to same', 'gates are welcomed'). The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptors, and the student struggles to use more academic or precise terminology to describe the changes in the layout. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequent errors in word choice and spelling prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More precise verbs like 'relocated', 'converted', or 'expanded' would improve the quality of the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at passive voice ('is replaced', 'are introduced'), there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('tables and chairs remains', 'there are 2 new gates are welcomed') and article usage ('in the west side of cafe'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the overall control of complex structures is weak. The errors are frequent enough to be noticeable, though they do not completely impede communication. To improve, the student should focus on consistent subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles in descriptive writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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