Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

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 the same.

In the cafe, the staff dining rooms had tables and chairs but it is now transformed to a take away food and a coffee bar respectively. Tables and chairs in the middle of the plan stayed the same as before. Although in the northern area, kitchen remained the same, serving area is changed to hot meals today.

On the left side, salad bar is developed and barbecue place is added beside that. From the salad bar to the barbecue path, a door is built. Beside Barbecue place, five outdoor seating tables and 26 chairs are newly added 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 the bin is reconstructed and several recycling bins are now added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of the takeaway area, the salad bar, and the outdoor seating. You have made relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states. However, the overview is somewhat limited; it describes the layout but lacks a strong summary of the most significant changes, such as the shift from a dining-focused layout to a more diverse service-oriented space. While you cover the key areas, some descriptions are slightly mechanical, and the overall summary could be more analytical to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with each focusing on a specific area of the cafe. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However', 'Although', and 'On the left side', which help guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit repetitive, and the use of cohesive devices could be more varied to improve the natural progression of ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, though the transitions between the 'before' and 'after' states could be smoother.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redeveloped', 'transformed', and 'constructed'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'barbecue place' (which would be better as 'barbecue area') and 'take away food' (which should be 'takeaway counter'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and variety of less common lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'it is now transformed to a take away food' (should be 'transformed into a takeaway counter') and 'kitchen remained the same' (missing an article). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'From the salad bar to the barbecue path, a door is built'. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear, and the mistakes do not significantly impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage and more varied sentence structures.

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

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