Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-21

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 provided pictures show us the architectural view of the college canteen before and after of its renovation.

Overall, the areas occupied by the canteen is still the same. Inside the Cafe , it is redesigned as some of the serving area are still having their place but many new areas like a salad bar at the mid of left wall, barbecue area is built at outside of the cafe but parallel to salad bar many other options are introduced.

Firstly, the kitchen area is on the same place. The previous area located for serving area in now converted into hot meals. Then outside of kitchen's door there is an enormous dining hall, chairs and tables remain same but the salad bar is launched at the left side of canteen wall. The staff dining rooms is now redesigned and converted into take away food and coffee bar.

Continuing with the refreshment rooms and recycling areas, they are never rebuilt. New advanced areas are invented at the outer side of canteen which is outdoor seating and a barbecue area which is along with the side of salad bar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the transformation, such as the kitchen, dining hall, and new additions like the salad bar and barbecue area. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the student identifies changes, the report fails to effectively compare the 'before' and 'after' states in a cohesive manner. Some details, such as the claim that the kitchen is in the 'same place' or that the refreshment rooms were 'never rebuilt,' are slightly inaccurate or confusingly phrased given the visual evidence. To improve, the student should focus on grouping features logically (e.g., internal changes vs. external additions) and providing a more precise summary of the spatial layout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is often hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For instance, the use of 'Firstly' and 'Continuing with' feels forced rather than naturally guiding the reader through the visual data. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'many other options are introduced' without specifying what those options are. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and lacks the flexibility required for a higher band. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to specific areas would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. The student uses basic descriptors like 'enormous' and 'advanced areas,' which do not accurately reflect the nature of the changes shown in the plans. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'at the mid of left wall' (should be 'in the middle of the left wall') and 'the previous area located for serving area' (redundant and awkward). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise terminology related to architectural changes, such as 'relocated,' 'partitioned,' 'expanded,' or 'converted into.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'before and after of its renovation' (incorrect preposition usage), 'some of the serving area are still having their place' (awkward verb tense and subject-verb agreement), and 'the staff dining rooms is now redesigned' (subject-verb agreement error). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing locations would lead to more accurate and professional-sounding sentences.

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

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