Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19
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 7.5)
The two plans show how a college café was arranged before its redesign and how it looks today.
Overall, the café has been expanded and its food service has been divided into several separate outlets. The kitchen, the main seating area and the toilets remain in place, but the staff dining rooms have been removed and a large outdoor area has been added.
Before the redesign, all food and drink was sold from a single serving area beneath the kitchen in the north-west corner. The centre of the building was occupied by tables and chairs, with two small staff dining rooms directly above them. The toilets stood in the south-east corner and a bin was placed outside the eastern entrance.
Today, the serving area has been replaced by a hot meals counter in the same position, and a salad bar has been installed along the western wall. The staff dining rooms have been converted into two outlets, one selling takeaway food and the other operating as a coffee bar. The bin has been replaced by recycling bins.
The most noticeable addition is the outdoor seating area running along the southern edge, which contains several tables, with a barbecue at its western end.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response effectively addresses all requirements of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main changes, noting the expansion of the cafe and the diversification of service outlets. The body paragraphs are well-structured, providing a logical comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states. You successfully identified key features such as the conversion of staff rooms into retail outlets and the addition of the outdoor seating area. The information is accurate and well-selected, ensuring the reader gets a comprehensive understanding of the transformation without unnecessary detail. This is a very strong performance that fully satisfies the criteria for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized and flows smoothly. Each paragraph has a clear focus, moving from an introduction and overview to a detailed description of the past and present layouts. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Before the redesign', 'Today', and 'The most noticeable addition' helps guide the reader through the comparison effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct stages of the description. The progression of ideas is coherent throughout, and referencing is clear, making the text easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes with precision. Terms such as 'redesign', 'converted', 'occupied', and 'installed' are used accurately and in the correct context. The vocabulary is natural and appropriate for an academic report. While the range is solid, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band; for example, using more varied synonyms for 'changed' or 'added' would demonstrate even greater flexibility. However, there are no errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication, and the language is consistently precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing demonstrates a high level of grammatical control. You have successfully employed a variety of complex sentence structures, such as passive voice constructions ('has been expanded', 'was sold', 'has been replaced') which are highly appropriate for this type of task. Punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips that might occur are non-systematic. The control over tense usage—shifting between the past for the original layout and the present for the current state—is handled with precision and consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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