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 show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks in current time.
Overall, the map shows us some major differences that is clrearly shown in the map like serving area changes into hot meal area, staff dining rooms are now upgrade into takeaway food and coffee bar place, bin turns into recyucling bins and two major things are added like barbecue area and outdoor seating that is shown in the map. At the end salad bar area are also new in the map.
Firstly, serving area is eliminated and turns into hot meals area. Salad bar area are newly added maybe for the customer demand. Staff dining area are gone and replaced into take away food for home services and coffee bar for the coffe lover peoples.
Barbecue is the major change in the map and this will also changed according to the demand of peoples. Outdoor seating is now available in the college cafe for the students who whants to eat in the fresh air.
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 the barbecue area, outdoor seating, and the salad bar. However, the report lacks a clear, professional overview of the transformation. The description of the changes is somewhat repetitive and relies on listing features rather than synthesizing the information. While the main points are addressed, the lack of precise spatial language (e.g., 'north-east corner' or 'adjacent to') makes the report less effective as a summary of a visual plan. To reach a higher band, focus on grouping related changes and providing a more analytical summary of the overall layout shift.
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, such as the frequent use of 'in the map'. The progression of ideas is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to the specific locations on the plan rather than just repeating 'the map'.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several spelling errors ('clrearly', 'recyuling', 'whants') and awkward phrasing such as 'coffe lover peoples' and 'home services'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic verbs like 'turns into' or 'are gone'. To improve, you should use more precise terminology for describing changes, such as 'replaced by', 'converted into', or 'relocated', and ensure that spelling is accurate to avoid distracting the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is a consistent issue, for example, 'The given map show' instead of 'shows' and 'salad bar area are' instead of 'is'. There is also a lack of complex sentence structures; most sentences are simple or contain basic errors in tense and pluralization. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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