Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15

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 6.5)

The given maps illustrate a college cafe floor plan before and after it was redesigned.

Overall, the major addition is the construction of a new outdoor seating and barbecue area. Additionally, in the indoors the old staff dining rooms are replaced by a new take away food and coffee bar area. One more notable change includes the addition of a new salad bar near the kitchen entrance.

Entering from the eastern entrance it can be noticed that the bin near the eastern wall was replaced by newer and relatively bigger recycling bins. The two adjacent staff dining rooms were demolished, making way for two new rooms, namely a take away food area and a coffee bar. Additionally, a new salad bar is also added in the western area near the kitchen entrance. However, the kitchen remains the same with just one alteration, the repurposing of the serving area into an area for hot meals.

Two doors are added in the southern area, allowing entrance to and exit from the outdoor area. The previously vacant outdoor area is utilised to create a new outdoor seating area with five tables along with a new barbecue area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the task by providing a clear overview of the main changes and supporting these with specific details. You have successfully identified the key transformations, such as the addition of the outdoor area and the reconfiguration of the internal dining spaces. The comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is consistent and logical. To reach a higher band, ensure that all spatial references are precise; for instance, describing the kitchen changes as 'repurposing the serving area' is excellent, but ensure the reader can clearly visualize the layout changes. Overall, the response covers all parts of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific changes. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You make good use of cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'namely' to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, separating the general overview from the specific spatial details. To improve, try to vary the transition words slightly more to avoid a repetitive structure, as some of the linking feels a bit mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'demolished', 'repurposing', 'utilised', and 'adjacent' effectively. The language is precise enough to convey the information clearly. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms for movement and change, such as 'transformed', 'converted', or 'integrated', to show greater flexibility and precision in your descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate throughout the text. You handle passive voice constructions well, which is appropriate for describing changes in a floor plan (e.g., 'the old staff dining rooms are replaced'). There are no major grammatical errors that cause confusion. To achieve a higher score, ensure consistent tense usage when describing the 'before' and 'after' states, and aim for a slightly wider variety of complex sentence patterns.

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