Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16

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 7.0)

The map depicts the layout of a college cafe and compares the changes to it after renovation.

Overall, there are many changes that took place within the cafe, but the most significant change happened outside with a seating area and a barbecue stall.

Before the layout of the cafe was redesigned, it had fewer rooms. From the north to the south, the one that sat in the northwest of the cafe contained a kitchen and a serving area that provided all food and drink to visitors. To the south of it, there was a large open area for tables and chairs, with two staff dining rooms that were placed in the north. Additionally, the bathroom was put in the south-eastern corner. A bin was placed between the entrance and the bathroom.

However, these days, with the kitchen area remaining unchanged, the serving area only provides visitors with hot meals. To the south of it, a salad bar has been added. The rooms that used to be used for dining now become one room for takeaway food and the other one for coffee. The bin was replaced by several recycling bins. In addition to these changes, a door next to the washroom was built. Through it, guests can go to the outdoor area, where they can buy barbecue food and sit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the task by providing a clear overview and highlighting the main changes between the two plans. You successfully identified key features such as the addition of the outdoor seating area, the barbecue stall, and the repurposing of the dining rooms. The comparison is logical and covers all significant transformations. To reach a higher band, ensure that you avoid minor inaccuracies in spatial description; for instance, you mentioned the staff dining rooms were in the north, whereas the original plan shows them in the northeast. Overall, the information is well-selected and clearly presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use paragraphing effectively to separate the introduction, the 'before' state, and the 'after' state. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'In addition to these changes' are used appropriately to link sentences and ideas. The flow is logical, and the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two layouts. To improve further, ensure that referencing is always precise to avoid any ambiguity regarding the location of specific features.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'redesigned', 'repurposed', and 'layout' effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'depicts' and 'significant'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the task, it remains somewhat functional. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations or descriptive adjectives to enhance the sophistication of your writing, such as 'underwent a transformation' instead of 'there are many changes'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that communication is never impeded. You successfully use passive voice constructions, such as 'the bathroom was put in' and 'a door... was built', which is appropriate for describing processes or changes. There are occasional minor slips in phrasing, but these do not detract from the overall clarity. To aim for a higher band, focus on increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring absolute precision in tense usage when describing past versus present states.

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

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