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 plans show a college cafe before and after it was redesigned.
Overall, the kitchen at north west did not change as well as the toilets at south east and tables and chairs. The bin at east has been changed to a recycling bin, and the cafe had 2 staff dining rooms.
Before, the cafe had a serving area located north west, and staff dining rooms in the middle of the cafe. The restaurant had only one entrance and exit at the north east of the cafe.
Today, the serving area has changed to a table serving meals only. The cafe added also a salad bar at west and two new entrances and exits. beside the entrance exactly at south west there is a barbecue with outdoors seating. Considering the dining rooms both had been changed the left one changed to take away food room and the other a coffee bar.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the changes to the serving area, the addition of the salad bar, and the new entrances. However, the response lacks a clear overview that synthesizes the most significant changes. Some information is slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that the kitchen and toilets did not change, when the visual data shows modifications to the layout and facilities. To improve, ensure you provide a more precise summary of the overall transformation and avoid listing details that are not clearly supported by the diagrams. The report covers the key areas but could be more analytical in its comparison of the 'before' and 'after' states.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the 'before' to the 'after' state. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For example, the transition between the description of the original layout and the current layout could be smoother. Some sentences feel disjointed, and the referencing (e.g., 'the left one') is slightly ambiguous, making it harder for the reader to visualize the changes. Increasing the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would improve the overall flow and logical progression of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the cafe, such as 'redesigned', 'serving area', and 'outdoors seating'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'at north west' (should be 'in the north-west') and 'the cafe added also a salad bar' (word order error). The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. To improve, focus on using more accurate prepositions of place and more varied verbs to describe spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', or 'expanded'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with prepositions and articles (e.g., 'at north west', 'at south east', 'at west'). Additionally, there are issues with sentence construction, such as 'the cafe added also a salad bar' and 'the left one changed to take away food room'. These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader. To reach a higher band, you should focus on mastering basic sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of definite and indefinite articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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