Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The plan depicts the picture of the college cafe, how it looks now, by showing before and after its renovation.

Overall, from the planning we can see that the current size of the cafe is bigger than previously, the staff dining rooms are removed, hence they are replaced with take away food and coffee bar. But the tables and chairs area inside the cafe remains the same.

To begin with, previously the serving area of all foods and drinks is now replaced with hot meals, also there are other food courts such as salad bar, take away food and coffee bar inside the cafe. Additionally, the barbeque counter is outside the cafe near the outdoor seating area.

Moreover, the size of the recycling bin and toilets area is enlarged than before but its position remains the same. Furthermore, the kitchen area remains the same from before and after its renovation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the cafe renovation, such as the expansion of the floor space and the changes to the serving areas. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention that the cafe is 'bigger', you could have been more specific about the layout changes, such as the relocation of the entrance or the addition of the outdoor seating area. The summary is functional but lacks the depth required for a higher band, as some details are presented as a list rather than a comparative analysis of the transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the general overview to specific details. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Additionally', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by slightly awkward phrasing, such as 'from the planning we can see'. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the description of the serving area and the outdoor seating could be smoother. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes clearly. You use relevant terms like 'renovation', 'serving area', and 'outdoor seating area'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'the plan depicts the picture' (which is redundant) and 'the size of the recycling bin... is enlarged' (where 'expanded' or 'increased' would be more natural). To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of descriptive verbs to convey the changes more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'the serving area... is now replaced' should be 'has been replaced' to reflect the change. Additionally, 'the size... is enlarged than before' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'the size... has been increased compared to before'. There are also minor issues with tense consistency and preposition usage. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.

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

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