Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20
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 two maps detail the major structural transformation that took place in Collage cafe.
Overall, a huge development take place in the cafeteria. Outdoor sitting is introduce now additionally with barbecue however kitchen and toilets remain unchanged as before
Major transformation took place outdoor side where new sitting is introduce along with barbecue. Some new entrance is also made in the front of outdoor sitting and salad bar is installed on the left hand side of one of the major entrance student can have fresh salad. Even Though Kitchen area remains same yet serving area now converted into hot meals area where student can get there hot meals
Before two rooms was alloted as staff dinning rooms is now changed into two different sections for instance take away food and coffee bar. Although there is no any transformation took place in toilets, yet bin now converted into switched into recycling bin.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the transformation, such as the addition of the outdoor seating and the repurposing of the staff dining rooms. However, the overview is somewhat weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. While the task is addressed, some descriptions are slightly repetitive or lack the precision required for a higher band. For instance, the mention of the 'bin' being converted into a 'recycling bin' is a minor detail that could have been omitted in favor of a more comprehensive overview of the structural layout changes. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking differences between the two plans more effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Even Though Kitchen area remains same yet...' and 'Although there is no any transformation took place...'. These structures are repetitive and occasionally confusing. The progression of ideas is generally logical, moving from the outdoor area to the interior, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'huge development take place' instead of 'significant changes occurred' and 'new sitting is introduce' instead of 'new seating was introduced'. The student relies on basic terminology and struggles with collocations related to describing maps or plans. To achieve a higher score, the student should focus on using more academic vocabulary related to change and development, such as 'renovated,' 'converted,' 'relocated,' or 'expanded,' and ensure correct word forms are used.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding verb tense and subject-verb agreement. For example, 'a huge development take place' should be 'a huge development took place,' and 'new sitting is introduce' should be 'new seating was introduced.' Additionally, there are issues with articles ('the' or 'a' missing) and pluralization ('staff dinning rooms'). While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors limits the score. The student should focus on mastering basic sentence structures and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing past changes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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