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 map demonstrates that how a cafetaria of a college campus changed by constructing several new facilities.
Overall, it can be seen that there are many new things are launched and some are removed due to the fact of mordern culture.
After analysing the plan, it can be clearly seen that bitchen, and toilets are on the same place. In contrast, staff dining rooms are removed and dining room at left side is a Take away food point and at the right side there is a coffee bar. Moreover, instead of serving area there is a Hot meals point. Additionally, in past there was only a single bin but now these is multiple recycling bin
Probing ahead, at the Western side a salad bar is introduced for health conscious folks. Nextly, Outdoor seating is at southern side and barbeque is at south west corner. Finally, the tables and chairs part remained same
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of the salad bar, coffee bar, and outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear overview of the most significant changes, and some descriptions are slightly inaccurate or confusing (e.g., 'bitchen' instead of kitchen). The summary is somewhat disjointed, and the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more structured to help the reader visualize the transformation. To improve, ensure you clearly group related changes and provide a more cohesive summary of the overall trend of the renovation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hampered by awkward transitions and informal phrasing. While cohesive devices like 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'Additionally' are used, they are sometimes applied mechanically or inappropriately. The progression of ideas is occasionally difficult to follow, particularly when moving between different areas of the cafe. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the paragraphing, while present, does not effectively group the information in a way that guides the reader through the changes logically. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring a clear, thematic grouping of features would enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several spelling errors and non-standard word choices, such as 'bitchen' (kitchen), 'mordern' (modern), and 'Nextly' (which is not standard English). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic message, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Phrases like 'folks' are too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, focus on using more precise, academic terminology to describe spatial changes and ensure correct spelling of basic vocabulary related to the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the map demonstrates that how a cafetaria... changed', 'there are many new things are launched', and 'these is multiple recycling bin'. Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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