Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The plans illustrates the infrastructural layout of a college cafe before it was redeveloped compared with its present-day arrangements.

Before the redesigning, the cafe has a huge indoor dining area with tables and chairs, with restrooms in its south-east corner. There were trash cans placed right outside these restrooms. Staff dining rooms were situated in the central part of the dining area towards the north. The kitchen was enclosed in the north-west part, with a servicing area to deliver food and drinks, at its front.

Present day, the indoor dining area stands the same, however, additional outdoor seatings have been constructed, along with a barbecue counter at its far west. The trash can by the toilets has been replaced by recycling bins and a salad bar has been added to its opposite side. The kitchen still remains enclosed but the servicing areas has been repurposed for serving hot meals. Moreover, a new coffee bar and take away food counters have replaced the staff dining rooms.

Overall, the cafe layout has been changed to a more modern setup to cater the needs of the customers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all key features of the cafe redesign. You have clearly identified the main changes, such as the addition of outdoor seating, the barbecue counter, and the repurposing of the staff dining area. The overview is present and provides a clear summary of the transformation. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide more precise comparisons between the two plans. For instance, while you mention the kitchen remains enclosed, you could explicitly contrast the specific dimensions or the flow of the space. Overall, the information is well-selected and the report is accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs detailing the changes, and a concluding overview. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the original layout to the specific modifications. You use cohesive devices such as 'Before the redesigning', 'Present day', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the cafe's development. The flow is smooth, and the referencing between the two plans is generally clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'infrastructural layout', 'redeveloped', 'repurposed', and 'barbecue counter'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'cater the needs' (should be 'cater to the needs') and 'outdoor seatings' (seating is an uncountable noun). However, these errors do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to spatial changes, such as 'transformed into' or 'replaced by a more contemporary setup'. The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are a few grammatical slips, such as 'The plans illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'servicing areas has been' (plural subject with singular verb). Additionally, 'Present day' should ideally be 'In the present day' or 'Currently'. Despite these occasional errors, the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free, and your control of punctuation is generally good. The errors do not cause confusion for the reader, and the grammatical range is sufficient to convey the information effectively.

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

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