Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The plan illustrates the layout of college cafe before and after its redesigned.
Overall, the cafe underwent many changes in its design. Some areas completely converted into other forms, and some replaced the previous ones with new ones.
At first, the cafe's layout was simple and basic before its redesigned. There was small kitchen area at the top left side, beneath this there was serving area which included all the food and drinks. There were also two separate staff dining rooms, and a large area with tables and chairs. There was an area for toilets and a small bin placed near the toilets.
When the cafe underwent to redesign its layout showed many changes. The things that never changed before and after redesigned include kitchen, indoor seating area and toilets. The hot meal area replaced the serving area, two staff dinning rooms converted to take away food and coffee bar. There is also addition of salad bar inside the cafe. The small bin replaced with recycling bins. Outside area of the cafe now have barbecue section with outdoor seating.
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
The response provides a clear overview of the changes, identifying the main features such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms and the addition of the outdoor area. However, the report lacks precision in describing the spatial relationships. For instance, stating the kitchen 'never changed' is inaccurate, as the layout clearly shows the kitchen area was expanded. The description of the 'hot meal area' replacing the 'serving area' is a good observation, but the report would benefit from more specific comparisons of the scale or exact positioning of these features to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the 'before' and 'after' states. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate these stages. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'there was', 'there is'). The transition between the description of the original layout and the redesigned layout could be smoother. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the lack of varied linking words makes the flow feel slightly stilted, which is characteristic of the Band 6 level.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes using terms like 'converted', 'replaced', and 'redesigned'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'before its redesigned' (should be 'redesign') and 'outside area of the cafe now have' (should be 'has'). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise descriptive language related to architectural changes and spatial layout, moving beyond basic verbs like 'showed' or 'included'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. Examples include 'before its redesigned' (incorrect noun form), 'the cafe underwent to redesign' (incorrect verb pattern), and 'the small bin replaced with' (missing passive auxiliary 'was'). Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent, such as 'outside area... have' instead of 'has'. These errors indicate a lack of control over more complex grammatical structures, placing the response firmly in the Band 6 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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