Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-18

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 diagrams below illustrates the changes in college cafe, after being re-designed. Overall, the size of the cafe remains same but names has been replaced by the modern ones. For instance, staff Bin has been renamed as the recycling bin, that could be to encourage student to not litter college in the school. Apart from it, note-able change can been seen at the outside area of the college, as outdoor seating area has been added, so people can enjoy the pleasant weather.

At the past, there was Kitchen at top the of the building with serving in the proximity, serving all food & drinks. In the main area, there were only tables and chairs, covering most of the colleges space. Furthermore, above the main area, two staff dining rooms were featured. A little right to it, bin can also be seen, with toilet underneath it.

After being re-designed, few places have been replaced. Serving rom have been transformed in the area that provides hot meals. Additionally, Out door seating has also been designed Moreover, the bin has been modernized into a recycling bin. Adjacent to it, a salad bar has been positioned. An outdoor seating area has been added in the lower part of the cafe including five tables and 26 chairs as well as a new barbeque on the right side. Meanwhile, only the kitchen, tables with chairs in the center of the building, and toilets remain unchanged

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of the outdoor seating area and the transformation of the serving area. You have also made relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states. However, the response contains some inaccuracies regarding the layout; for example, you mention the kitchen remains unchanged, but the diagram shows it has been replaced by a hot meals area. Additionally, some descriptions are slightly confusing, such as the reference to 'staff dining rooms' which are not clearly labeled as such in the source material. To improve, ensure you cross-reference the visual data more precisely to avoid factual errors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the general overview to specific details. You use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'Meanwhile' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and some mechanical use of transitions. For instance, the transition 'Apart from it' is not standard usage. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'A little right to it', which makes it difficult for the reader to visualize the exact location of the features described. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'modernized', 'positioned', and 'pleasant'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'names has been replaced by the modern ones' (should be 'labels' or 'functions') and 'Serving rom' (spelling error). You also use 'colleges space' instead of 'college space'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points, they limit the precision of your description. To reach a higher band, focus on using more accurate collocations and ensuring correct spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('names has been', 'bin can also be seen'), missing articles ('at top the of the building'), and awkward prepositional phrases ('At the past'). Some sentences are also structurally incomplete or confusing, such as 'that could be to encourage student to not litter college in the school'. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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