Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The given maps give information about the college restaurant in past structure and present looks.

Overall, it is clearly seen that there are many developments in picture.

In past, they was a kitchen located in the top left side. In centre of cafe there were two staff dining rooms whereas they were some tables and chairs situated in the front of dining rooms. A bin was placed in the east side and the toilets were located in the south-east corner.

In present, there are no any changes in a kitchen, tables and chairs, recycling bin, and toilets area. The serving area has been replaced with hot meals. There are staff dining rooms converted to take away food and coffee bar. There is a new salad bar constructed in the west side. A barbecue is added in the south-west corner. There are built new outdoor seating in the south side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of the barbecue and salad bar. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall development of the task. While the main features are highlighted, the description lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. The summary is functional but lacks the depth required for a higher band. Because the word count requirement was not met, the task achievement is penalized accordingly, as the response fails to fully develop the comparison between the two plans.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the past to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In past', 'In present'). There is a lack of variety in linking phrases, and some transitions feel abrupt. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the limited range of cohesive devices and the occasional awkward phrasing in the introduction and body paragraphs prevent a higher score. Improving the flow between sentences would significantly enhance the clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'picture' and 'looks' are imprecise in this context. There is little attempt to use less common or more precise vocabulary related to architectural changes or spatial descriptions. While the terminology for the cafe features (e.g., 'salad bar', 'barbecue') is accurate, the overall range is limited. To improve, you should incorporate more varied descriptive language and precise collocations to describe the changes, such as 'undergone a transformation' or 'the layout was modified'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'In past, they was a kitchen' (subject-verb agreement and article usage) and 'there are no any changes' (incorrect quantifier usage). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. While the meaning is generally clear, the persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a broader range of grammatical structures. Focusing on correct article usage and verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.

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

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