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 given picture compares a college cafe by showing that how it looks now as compared to how it was originally built.

Overall, massive improvements have been done to this cafe. Although, the cafe looks better after the renovation and the outdoor sitting was also introduced after the changes.

To begin with, the cafe occupied more space after the changes as outdoor sitting was introduced alongside with the Barbecue space. Moreover, new entrances and exits were also built and the Salad bar was also introduced in the cafe at the tables and chairs space. However, Kitchen and Toilets remained at the same place as they were originally built.

Furthermore, Serving area was converted into a hot meals section. The Staff dining rooms were rebuild as two different areas including Take away food and the Coffee bar. Although, Bin area was transformed and now used for Recycling. Tables and chairs remained at the same place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of outdoor seating, the salad bar, and the conversion of the serving area. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, stating that 'Kitchen and Toilets remained at the same place' is accurate, but the report lacks a clear, analytical overview that synthesises the changes effectively. The summary is present but could be more precise in identifying the overall trend of the transformation. While all parts of the task are addressed, the level of detail is somewhat basic, preventing it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or misused, such as the use of 'Although' at the start of the second paragraph, which does not logically contrast with the preceding sentence. The progression of information is generally clear, but the referencing of specific areas could be smoother to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes clearly. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'renovation' and 'transformed'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'rebuild as' (should be 'rebuilt into') and 'introduced alongside with' (the 'with' is redundant). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'massive improvements have been done' (passive voice error; 'made' is preferred), 'Staff dining rooms were rebuild' (incorrect verb form), and 'introduced in the cafe at the tables and chairs space' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The punctuation is generally functional, but the control over complex structures is inconsistent.

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

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