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 plane diagrams shows a institute café area in past and after renovation how it looks in present time.
Overall, massive changes done outside of the cafe were outdoor seating capacity and barbecue was provided. Also, inners side of the cafe staff dining rooms are converted into take away food or coffee bar. In addition, salad bar and dustbin area are provided.
Starting with kitchen were serving area was converted into hot meals. In present time salad bar is introduce in new plane and according to new plane staff dining rooms are converted to take away food and coffee bar. Moreover, bin area is extended and given name as recycling bins.
There are two entry provided to access outdoor seating were tables and chairs are arranged. In addition, barbecue station is available as just left side of the seating area.
In middle parts of the cafe tables and chairs are remained same.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the redesign, such as the outdoor seating, the barbecue station, and the conversion of the staff dining room. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is occasionally repetitive, and some details (like the 'middle parts' remaining the same) are mentioned without sufficient integration into the overall summary. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as the frequent use of 'In addition' and 'In present time'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly when moving between the kitchen area and the outdoor seating. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track the spatial relationships between the different areas of the cafe. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would significantly improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'inners side of the cafe' and 'given name as recycling bins'. The student relies on basic descriptors like 'massive changes' and 'provided', which limits the sophistication of the report. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'plane' instead of 'plan' and 'introduce' instead of 'introduced'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to diagrams and spatial descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'relocated', or 'expanded'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('The plane diagrams shows') and tense usage ('salad bar is introduce'). Sentence structures are largely simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors, such as 'Starting with kitchen were serving area was converted'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding the use of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of basic errors in grammar and word order prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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