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 maps below demonstrate a college cafe which was redeveloped.
The cafe was thin and long. Over the period, several tables, bars and rooms were added and completely transformed. However, the north-east part of the cafe remained same.
In the cafe, the staff dining rooms are transformed to take away food and coffee bar respectively. Tables and chairs in the middle stayed same as before. Although in the north part, kitchen remained same, serving area is changed to hot meals today.
On the left side, salad bar is built and barbecue is added beside that. From salad bar to barbecue path, a door is built. Beside Barbecue, five outdoor seating tables and 26 chairs are newly placed for more people. On the right side of the plan, a door is constructed to move into the bar and beside that, toilets are situated in the same place as before, but bin is reconstructed and several recycling bins are now added.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of the salad bar, barbecue, and outdoor seating. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends or the overall transformation of the space. While the student identifies that the north-east part remained the same, the description of the layout is occasionally confusing, particularly when referencing specific locations like 'the north part' or 'the left side' without sufficient clarity. To improve, ensure that the main features are grouped logically and that the overview highlights the most striking changes rather than just listing individual modifications.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the description. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, and the progression of ideas could be smoother. For example, the shift from describing the interior to the exterior features feels disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'From salad bar to barbecue path', which lacks necessary articles and prepositions to flow naturally. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear signposting between different areas of the cafe would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes effectively. Words like 'redeveloped', 'transformed', and 'reconstructed' are used appropriately. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'remained same' (should be 'remained the same') and 'hot meals today' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). There is a lack of more sophisticated collocations or precise descriptive language that would elevate the response. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more varied vocabulary to describe spatial relationships and changes in layout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding article usage ('the salad bar', 'the barbecue') and prepositional phrases. For instance, 'staff dining rooms are transformed' should be 'have been transformed' to reflect the change over time. Additionally, there are minor errors in subject-verb agreement and word order. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on consistent tense usage and article placement will help improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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