Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagrams illustrate the changes made in a cafe during its redesign.

Overall, several modifications were made in the layout of the cafe. The staff dining rooms were replaced by take away and coffee bars, whereas the serving area was removed.

The Kitchen remained in the same area during its redesign. Before redesign, the serving area served all types of food and drinks, which was replaced by the hot meals later. The cafe had two staff dining rooms for waiters and other employees, but these were converted into a take away area and a coffee bar. The tables and chairs setup remained the same, whereas a salad bar was added in the front of the kitchen door. The bin was replaced by a recycling bin for storing plastic bottles and other recyclable materials. The toilets remained unchanged. After significant transformations in the design of the cafe, facilities like barbecue and outdoor seating were added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the removal of the serving area and the addition of new facilities like the barbecue and outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. While you mention that 'several modifications were made,' a more effective overview would highlight the shift from a staff-focused layout to a more customer-oriented one. The description of the changes is generally accurate, but some details, such as the specific location of the salad bar, could be integrated more smoothly into the comparative narrative. Overall, you have addressed the task requirements well, but the report would benefit from a more structured comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, moving from a general introduction to specific changes. Paragraphing is present, though the body paragraph is quite dense and could be split to improve readability. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'but' to contrast the two plans effectively. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the kitchen area and the bin replacement feels a bit abrupt. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking phrases to connect the spatial changes more fluidly, ensuring the reader can easily follow the transformation of the cafe layout.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'modifications,' 'redesign,' 'converted,' and 'transformations.' These words are used accurately and help convey the changes clearly. There is some repetition of basic verbs like 'remained' and 'replaced.' To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms or descriptive phrases related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated,' 'expanded,' or 'reconfigured.' The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the information clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and variety required for a higher band score. Focus on using more varied collocations to describe the layout changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The staff dining rooms were replaced by take away and coffee bars, whereas the serving area was removed.' Grammar is generally accurate, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. There are minor issues with article usage and prepositions, such as 'in the front of the kitchen door' (should be 'in front of') and 'in a cafe' (should be 'to the cafe'). While the control of grammar is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Incorporating more varied subordinate clauses or passive constructions would enhance the grammatical complexity of your writing.

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

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