Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-22

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 plans illustrate a college cafe before and today after redesign.

Overall the cafe has been renovated with many additions in it like coffee bar, a hot meals counter, recycling bins, a salad bar and a barbecue setup. Some of the designated area of cafe remained unchanged while the menu and their allocation has been expanded.

The cafe has a kitchen in the north. Besides kitchen there was a serving area for all meals and drinks which now has been designated as a hot meals serving counter. To the northwest, there were two staff dining rooms which now have been allocated for different setups. One for take away food and the second one is now a coffee bar, a newest addition to the cafe.

There is a big hall with tables and chairs which now has a salad bar setup. The casual bins are now replaced with recycling bin to minimize the waste pollution. The toilets besides bins remained unchanged.

Outside the main hall, to the southwest, the cafe has installed barbecue setup with outdoor seating. The cafe has been transformed into a modern and cool place for students and staff with greater expansion in menu and area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of the coffee bar, hot meals counter, and outdoor barbecue area. You have made relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'now' states, such as the conversion of staff dining rooms and the replacement of bins. However, the overview is slightly generic; it would be stronger to highlight the most significant structural changes, such as the shift from a single serving area to specialized counters. The description is generally clear, though some details, like the mention of 'modern and cool,' are subjective and less appropriate for an academic report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. Paragraphing is used effectively to group related information, such as the kitchen and dining areas. Cohesive devices like 'besides,' 'to the northwest,' and 'outside the main hall' help guide the reader through the spatial changes. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied linking phrases. Overall, the progression of information is clear and easy to follow throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'renovated,' 'allocated,' 'designated,' and 'transformed.' There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'casual bins' (likely meant 'general waste bins') and 'waste pollution' (which is slightly redundant). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the more sophisticated, precise terminology that would elevate the response to a higher band. Attempting to use more specific descriptive language for spatial layouts would improve the precision of your report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'before and today after redesign' (should be 'before and after the redesign') and 'the newest addition' (should be 'a new addition'). Additionally, there are missing articles, such as 'in north' (should be 'in the north') and 'besides bins' (should be 'besides the bins'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on article usage and prepositional accuracy will help improve your control.

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

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