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 given diagram illustrates the changes took place in a college cafe after it is reconstructed ,while comparing it with present day .

Overall ,the most noticeable change can be seen in the area outside the cafe ,which is efficiently use for outdoor seating attracting more students.

Before redesigning college cafe was limited within the building ,but after the redesign more of outside space is properly utilised for seating purpose . While the serving area where all food and beverages use to be served is now hot meal counter , whereas staff dinning rooms are modified into coffee bars and take away food counter. Placement of tables and chairs ,toilets and bins remained same as it was earlier. New salad bar has been added next to main door , we can see left side the moment we enter the cafe.

The major change we can notice a Barbecue counter outside the cafe and a lot of sitting area right next to it . Its gonning to attract lot more sudents

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 and the reconfiguration of the serving area. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, while you mention that the serving area changed, you do not clearly contrast the specific locations or the scale of the changes. The overview is present but lacks a clear summary of the most significant transformation, which is the shift from an indoor-only layout to an indoor-outdoor hybrid. To improve, ensure you provide a more analytical comparison of the spatial changes rather than just listing them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'While the serving area... is now hot meal counter, whereas staff dinning rooms are modified'. The transition between the description of the interior and the exterior is abrupt. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'it', 'this') is used more precisely to connect ideas across sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several spelling errors, such as 'dinning' instead of 'dining' and 'sudents' instead of 'students'. Additionally, the phrasing 'Its gonning to attract' is informal and inappropriate for an academic report. You should aim to use more precise terminology for describing spatial changes, such as 'converted into', 'relocated', or 'expanded', rather than relying on basic verbs like 'added' or 'modified'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('the college cafe', 'a Barbecue counter'), verb tenses ('changes took place', 'is reconstructed'), and sentence structure. For example, 'the area outside the cafe, which is efficiently use' should be 'is efficiently used'. The sentence 'Before redesigning college cafe was limited within the building' is missing necessary articles. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar limits the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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