Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

There is an huge change in the college cafe before and after of its redesigning. There are the addition of new sections, some changes in the existing sections and removing of some sections. First, we talk about the addition of new sections such as the salad bar, outdoor seating area and barbecue section.

Now, we talk about the sections that has been removed and the new sections that has been added in place of the removed one's. Serving area has been removed and in its place hot meal section is built. Staff dining rooms are removed and two new sections coffee bar and take away food area has been made there. Single bin area has been upgraded to recycling bins section.

These are the changes that have been made in the cafe design. And the new changes make the cafe area more attractive , convenient to sit and perfect place to relax.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the redesign, such as the addition of the salad bar and the replacement of the staff dining room. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for Task 1. The tone is slightly informal, using phrases like 'First, we talk about', which is not suitable for an academic report. While the key information is present, the lack of a formal structure and a clear summary prevents it from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on grouping information logically and providing a concise overview of the main trends or changes observed in the plans.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and repetitive, such as starting multiple sentences with 'Now, we talk about' or 'These are the changes'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, for example, 'removed one's' is grammatically incorrect and confusing. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression between ideas could be smoother. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more naturally, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus, such as one for additions and one for modifications.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected for higher bands. There are some errors in word choice and form, such as 'redesigning' instead of 'redesign' and 'removed one's' instead of 'removed ones'. The range is quite limited, relying on basic verbs like 'talk about', 'made', and 'removed'. To improve, incorporate more specific vocabulary related to describing changes in diagrams, such as 'transformed', 'replaced', 'converted', or 'relocated'. Avoid informal conversational language and focus on using precise terminology to describe the layout changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For instance, 'There are the addition' should be 'There is the addition', and 'sections that has been removed' should be 'sections that have been removed'. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of plural forms. Practice constructing complex sentences using relative clauses or passive voice, which are particularly useful for describing changes in diagrams.

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

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