Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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 image illustrate the renovated college cafeteria how it is look before and now after renovation.

Overview, there are several facilities are added like salad bar at side , barbecue, outdoor seating and door. Some of them are redefined like serving area, staff dinning rooms and bins.

At first glance, serving area which one was used for serving food and drinks is converted to hot meal section. Staff dinning rooms are replaced by take away food and coffee bar and new salad bar is constructed at one side of the wall between the kitchen and barbecue.

In addition, Recycle bins placed at where regular bins are before. In new plan sitting area is expanded by adding outdoor dining area outside the cafe and new door is provided for access inside dinning and outside dinning. Moreover, barbecue kitchen is developed for customers is sitting outside.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the renovation, such as the addition of the salad bar and outdoor seating, the summary lacks a clear, analytical overview. The description of the changes is somewhat fragmented, and the failure to reach the minimum length means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the overall trends and ensure your response meets the length requirement to allow for full development of the key features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'Overview, there are...'. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from general changes to specific details, but the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the flow feel disjointed. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to connect sentences and ideas more naturally, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive and lacks precision. Phrases like 'one side of the wall' and 'at where regular bins are' are somewhat simplistic. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'staff dinning rooms' (should be 'dining') and 'access inside dinning'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and renovations, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', or 'integrated', and ensure accurate spelling of common terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The given image illustrate' (subject-verb agreement), 'how it is look' (incorrect verb form), and 'barbecue kitchen is developed for customers is sitting outside' (awkward syntax). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and refining your use of passive voice, which is essential for describing processes and changes in diagrams.

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

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