Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The diagram illustrates the blue print of the college café before how it was and redesigned now added with various facilities.
Overall, it seems that an extra outdoor seating was designed which was a major change now. Additionally, salad bar has been introduced and bin was swapped by recycling bins to recycle the wastes.
The college café before had very less facilities which includes kitchen, serving area, bin, staff two dining rooms, table with chairs in the open space and toilets were in the south-east area. Also, with less entry and exit gates. As compare to now, kitchen, open space with tables & chairs and toilets were at same place as before. The serving area with all food & drinks previously; now converted to Hot meals and moreover, staff dining rooms were shifted with take away food and coffee bar. Outside the southern side of the café, the open area was smartly used for outdoor seating with more number of tables and barbecue was placed on the south-west corner of the café. For connectivity two door were made for easy access.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of the salad bar, outdoor seating, and the barbecue area. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear, analytical approach to comparing the two plans. While the major changes are identified, the overview is slightly repetitive, and the description of the layout is occasionally confusing, such as the mention of 'two doors' which is not clearly linked to the visual evidence. To improve, ensure that the summary provides a more structured comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states rather than listing features in a fragmented manner.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and sentence structure. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Additionally', 'Overall'), the transition between ideas is often mechanical. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the location of facilities. For instance, the sentence 'As compare to now, kitchen, open space with tables & chairs and toilets were at same place as before' is grammatically disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial comparison. Improving the use of cohesive devices and ensuring clearer paragraph transitions would enhance the overall readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of unnatural word choices, such as 'blue print' (instead of 'floor plan'), 'added with various facilities', and 'bin was swapped by recycling bins'. The phrase 'more number of tables' is also non-standard. While the student successfully identifies specific features like 'salad bar' and 'barbecue', the range of vocabulary is limited. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive or slightly inaccurate phrasing when describing changes to a layout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'before how it was and redesigned now', 'very less facilities', and 'two door were made'. Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic errors and ensuring consistent verb tense usage when describing past and present states would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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