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 maps illustrate the layouts of college cafe which shows the developments that occurred before and after its redesigned.
overall , the major changes took place around kitchen areas . Additionally, several new features have been removed and of certain new things being added .
To begin , previously the cafe had fewer features. Such as kitchen and serving area , dinning rooms and tables and chairs . Before it was giving access to facilities as it was not well developed.
In present day , the cafe is developed with several new facilities . As the map portrays , staff dinning rooms which was in front of tables and chairs area has been replaced by take away food window and coffee bar respectively . another substantial change has done in the outdoor area . before redesigned there wasn't any facility available .However in current scenario an extra chairs and couple of tables have arranged.
Last but not least there is also recycling bins kept alongside of toilets . Just on the opposite side of recycling bins there is a saland bar which is also newly designed.
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 provides a general overview of the changes, but it lacks precision in reporting the main features. While you identify the kitchen and outdoor area changes, the description is somewhat confusing. For instance, you mention that 'several new features have been removed' and 'new things being added' in the same sentence, which is contradictory. The report would benefit from a clearer comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states. You have successfully identified the key areas of change, but the lack of clarity in describing the layout shifts prevents a higher score. Ensure you clearly contrast the specific locations of the old and new facilities to provide a more accurate summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'To begin' is used to start the second paragraph, but it does not logically introduce the description of the cafe's layout. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, such as 'Before it was giving access to facilities as it was not well developed,' which lacks a clear connection to the previous point. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by these awkward transitions and unclear referencing, making the overall flow feel a bit forced rather than natural.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of imprecise word choice and spelling errors. You use 'dinning' instead of 'dining' and 'saland bar' instead of 'salad bar'. Phrases like 'in current scenario' and 'another substantial change has done' are slightly unnatural. While you attempt to use descriptive language, the errors in collocation and spelling are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and ensure you proofread for basic spelling errors.
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 affect the clarity of the writing. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'another substantial change has done'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'before redesigned there wasn't any facility available'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors means the writing does not consistently demonstrate control over complex structures. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for verb forms would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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