Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-24
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 map illustrates the design of the college cafe before and how it looks at present.
Overall, the cafe has undergone many changes, like new construction of Salad bar, coffee bar, take way food and barbecue station. They have expanded a cafe little in an open area where people can enjoy clear air.
Before redesigning, cafe had a serving area where food and drinks were served is now replaced by hot meals. Staff dining rooms where chairs and tables were, is now rebuild into take way food and coffee bar. The cafe is now eco-friendly as recycling bin has been put. Exact opposite to bin, salad bar is constructed.
The cafe has expanded the area named outdoor seating where barbecue station has constructed with five tables and chairs where people can enjoy their meal in open air. However, Kitchen, Tables and chairs indoor and Toilets remain untouched.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the task by identifying the main changes in the cafe layout. However, it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. While the key features such as the new food stations and the outdoor seating area are mentioned, the description lacks the precision required for a higher band. For instance, the summary of changes is somewhat disjointed, and the failure to reach the word count means the information is not fully developed or extended as required by the descriptors for higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the general overview to specific details. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as the phrase 'Exact opposite to bin'. The transition between the description of the indoor changes and the outdoor seating area is functional but lacks sophistication. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making the flow of information feel slightly disjointed in places.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes to the cafe. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'new construction of Salad bar' and 'rebuild into take way food'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and the student relies on basic descriptors. To improve, the student should focus on more precise collocations and ensure that technical terms are used accurately in the context of describing a floor plan.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'cafe had a serving area... is now replaced' (subject-verb agreement/tense inconsistency) and 'barbecue station has constructed' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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