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 layouts depicts the college cafe before redesgined and how it looks today. There are several major chnages happened during renovation. Overall, cafe has increased its area as well as added with new section such as coffee bar, outdoor seating and take away.
The most significant change is addition of outdoor seating to the south of the cafe which has two gates. Moreover, barbecue section is added in today`s plan besides outdoor seating section. The staff dining rooms are replaced by take away food and coffee bar which is infront of the main gate. However, the bin andtoilets which are located to the left of entrance remain unchnaged.
There is one additional section in new desgin which is salad bar besides barbecue. The centeral area of cafe is unchnaged occupied by table and chairs for seating. The serving area in old layoput is replaced by hot meals.
In summary, the latest layout has increased the area by addition of sections like outdoor seating and barbecue. Also new section such as take away food coffee bar and salad bar has been seen in the current plan.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of new facilities like the outdoor seating, barbecue, and salad bar. You also correctly noted the areas that remained unchanged, such as the toilets and the central seating area. However, the response lacks a clear, analytical overview that synthesizes the changes effectively. While you mention the cafe has increased in area, the description of the layout changes is somewhat fragmented. To improve, ensure that your overview highlights the most significant transformation—the shift from a staff-oriented space to a more customer-focused, multi-functional dining area—rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the comparison. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In summary' to link your ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing and some awkward transitions between sentences. For instance, the transition between the description of the outdoor seating and the staff dining rooms could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the mention of 'two gates' which is not explicitly supported by the visual data provided. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would enhance the overall progression of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'renovation', 'significant change', and 'layout'. However, there are several spelling errors ('redesgined', 'chnages', 'unchnaged', 'layoput', 'centeral') and minor word-choice issues ('added with new section'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations, such as 'the cafe has been expanded' instead of 'increased its area', and ensure you proofread for basic spelling accuracy to demonstrate a more professional command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'The layouts depicts' (subject-verb agreement), 'before redesgined' (incorrect verb form), and 'is added in today`s plan' (awkward phrasing). Additionally, there are issues with articles and prepositions, such as 'infront of the main gate' and 'is replaced by hot meals'. While these errors rarely impede the reader's understanding of the information, they are frequent enough to limit your score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing processes and changes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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