Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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 represent the plan for the design of a cafe before and after the renovated version.

Overall, The area is expanded. A New outdoor and salad bar is arranged. Whereas, staff dining rooms and serving area is replaced by other places.

Before the redesigning, There were two staff dining rooms consisting of a table and six chairs each just opposite of the entrance. To the left of the door there were toilets and a trash bin. At the end to the right corner there is a kitchen consisting of a serving area from food and drink. The remaining area room is organised with tables and chairs.

The latest version of the cafe comprises of food take away and coffee bar in the place of dining rooms. Exchanged a recycling bin with the bin. Added a salad bar exactly opposite to the bin and serving area got swapped by hot meals. The significant change was the outdoor space which is organised as seating zone along with barbecue in the edge.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the expansion and the addition of new facilities like the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the description of the changes is somewhat disjointed. While you identify the key transformations, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more precise. For instance, stating that the serving area was 'swapped by hot meals' is slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, ensure that all major changes are clearly linked to their previous locations to help the reader visualize the transformation more effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the overview to the specific details. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'Whereas, staff dining rooms...' and 'At the end to the right corner...'. The transition between the 'before' and 'after' descriptions is functional but lacks sophisticated linking phrases. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall flow and coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'renovated', 'comprises', and 'significant change'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'serving area from food and drink' (should be 'for food and drink') and 'exchanged a recycling bin with the bin'. Additionally, some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'the latest version of the cafe'. Expanding your repertoire of descriptive verbs and nouns related to spatial changes would help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('A New outdoor', 'the bin') and prepositions ('at the edge' instead of 'on the edge'). Some sentences are also slightly awkward, such as 'The remaining area room is organised'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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