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 map displays information about the college café before it was restructured and how it looks at the present time.

Overall, before the reconstruction, the serving area was placed in the kitchen, but at present, there are hot meals. Before the remodel of the café, the staff dining rooms were in the café, but after the alterations, there is no staff dining at present. New features were introduced in the new café, such as a salad bar and barbecue, along with a new seating arrangement outside that was not available in the old café.

Firstly, there was a serving area in the old café, but at present, the serving area has been eliminated. Secondly, there was a staff dining room in the old café, but now the staff dining room has been removed. Thirdly, there was only a bin in the old café, which has been modified into recycling bins.

There are numerous things added in the newly designed café, such as a coffee bar, take-away food, salad bar, barbecue, and also outside seating arrangements. Where the staff dining room was placed, there are now a coffee bar and take-away food. Toilets remained stable in their positions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the removal of the staff dining room and the addition of new facilities like the coffee bar and outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview. The summary provided in the second paragraph is somewhat repetitive and focuses on listing changes rather than synthesizing the information. While the key features are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more sophisticated. The description of the serving area is slightly confusing, as it states it was 'in the kitchen' and then later says it was 'eliminated', which lacks precision regarding the spatial layout changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, the use of 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Thirdly' in the third paragraph feels forced and does not contribute to a natural flow of information. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While the information is generally coherent, the progression of ideas could be improved by grouping related changes more effectively rather than listing them in a disjointed manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a heavy reliance on basic verbs such as 'was', 'is', and 'added'. Phrases like 'numerous things added' are quite informal and imprecise. While the student successfully uses terms like 'reconstruction', 'alterations', and 'seating arrangement', the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', 'expanded', or 'integrated', rather than relying on simple descriptions of removal or addition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically correct, but there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'at present, there are hot meals', which is unclear. The use of punctuation is generally accurate, but the sentence variety is limited, with many sentences following a similar 'subject-verb-object' pattern. While errors do not impede communication, the lack of more sophisticated complex structures prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The student should aim to use more varied sentence starters and subordinate clauses to improve the flow and complexity.

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.