Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The map displays information about the college cafe before it was restructured and how it looks at the present time.
Overall, before the reconstruction the serving area placed in kitchen but at the present time there is hot meals. Before the remodel of cafe, the staff dinning rooms are in the cafe but after alteration there is no staff dinning at now. The new things introduced in new cafe such as salad bar and barbecue and with this also new sitting arrangement at outside that do not be available in old cafe.
Firstly, there was a serving area in old cafe but at the present time serving area would be eliminated. Secondly, there was a staff dinning room in old cafe but at now staff dinning removed. Thirdly, there was only bin in old cafe that would be modified into recycling bins.
There are numerous thing added in new designed cafe such as coffee bar, take away food, salad bar , barbecue, and also outside sitting arrangements. Where the staff dinning room was placed at now there are coffee bar and take away food. Toilets remained stable at their positions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the removal of the staff dining room and the addition of new facilities like the barbecue and salad bar. However, the overview is somewhat inaccurate, as it incorrectly states that the serving area was eliminated when the plans show it was relocated. Furthermore, the description of the changes is repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical structure. While the key changes are mentioned, the report fails to provide a cohesive summary of the spatial transformation, often focusing on listing items rather than describing the overall layout changes effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Thirdly', which makes the structure feel mechanical and repetitive. Paragraphing is present, but the logical flow between sentences is often hindered by awkward phrasing and grammatical errors. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'before the reconstruction the serving area placed in kitchen but at the present time there is hot meals', which lacks proper logical connection. The progression of ideas is present but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'new things', 'old cafe', and 'at the present time'. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'staff dinning' (should be 'dining') and 'sitting arrangements' (should be 'seating'). The range of vocabulary is just sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety needed to describe spatial changes effectively. The repetition of phrases like 'at the present time' and 'in old cafe' significantly limits the lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with verb tense and subject-verb agreement, such as 'the staff dinning rooms are in the cafe' and 'that do not be available'. Sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting more complex constructions. Punctuation is generally functional, but the misuse of articles and prepositions is common throughout the text. The lack of control over basic sentence construction prevents the essay from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.