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 diagram illustrates a college cafe in past and now it reconstructed and shows a new look.

Overall, it cleared from image that cafe before redesign presented simple hall, kitchen, and Toilets. After, it redesigned cafe gives new look and brings changes according to needs of customers.

The first diagram describe that cafe was so simple. It contained only toilets in corner, kitchen and serving in left side. Tables and chairs in middle of cafe close with staff dining room and door attached to dining hall of cafe.

The second diagram represents that after it redesign. The new changes are that salad bar install on left side and recycling bins on right side in Hall. Staff dining room are convert into Take away food and Coffee bar. On the southside or backside outdoor seating i

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 task achievement score. Furthermore, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('outdoor seating i'). While the student attempts to identify the main features of the cafe before and after the redesign, the analysis is superficial and lacks the necessary detail to fully address the prompt. The overview is present but lacks clarity due to grammatical errors. To improve, the student must ensure the response is complete and provides a more thorough comparison of the spatial changes, such as the relocation of the kitchen and the expansion of seating areas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The first diagram' and 'The second diagram', but they are somewhat mechanical. The progression of ideas is interrupted by the abrupt ending, which prevents a coherent conclusion. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'After, it redesigned cafe', which lacks proper grammatical structure to link it to the previous sentence. To improve, the student should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, complete focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'simple', 'new', and 'diagram'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'it cleared from image' instead of 'it is clear from the image' and 'salad bar install' instead of 'a salad bar was installed'. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, the student needs to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to describing changes, such as 'transformed', 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'converted', and ensure correct word forms are used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There are issues with article usage ('in corner', 'in middle of cafe'), verb tense consistency ('The first diagram describe'), and sentence structure ('The second diagram represents that after it redesign'). The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. The incomplete final sentence further demonstrates a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, the student should focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles and prepositions.

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

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