Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The maps illustrate the layout of a café before and after it was redesigned.

Overall, the café underwent substantial changes, with several new facilities being introduced, including a salad bar, takeaway area, coffee bar, barbecue and outdoor seating. Meanwhile, the kitchen, tables and chairs, toilets and recycling bins remained in place, while the staff dining rooms were removed.

Before the redesign, the kitchen was situated in the top-left corner, with a serving area directly below it. Two staff dining rooms were located in the upper central part of the café. The majority of the floor space was occupied by tables and chairs. A bin was positioned near the right-hand wall, while the toilets were located in the bottom-right corner.

Following the renovation, the kitchen remained in the same position, although the serving area was replaced by a hot-meals section. The central area was reorganised to include a takeaway-food section and a coffee bar, while the staff dining rooms were removed. A salad bar was added along the left wall, and a barbecue area was introduced in the bottom-left corner. In addition, the café was extended to provide outdoor seating along the bottom, while the toilets and recycling bins remained in their original positions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the significant changes and supported this with detailed descriptions of the layout before and after the redesign. The comparison between the two plans is well-integrated, and you have successfully identified the key features such as the removal of staff dining rooms and the addition of the salad bar and outdoor seating. The information is accurate and logically presented, ensuring the reader can easily follow the transformation of the café space. No key features were omitted, and the summary is balanced and comprehensive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is well-organised with a clear logical progression. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed descriptions of the 'before' and 'after' states. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Following the renovation', and 'In addition' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the spatial changes. The flow of information is smooth, and the referencing between the two maps is consistent. The structure is coherent, and the relationship between the different areas of the café is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for describing maps and spatial layouts. Phrases like 'underwent substantial changes', 'situated in the top-left corner', and 'reorganised to include' show a good level of precision. The vocabulary is natural and fits the context of the task well. While the range is sufficient and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'located' or 'added' could elevate the response further. Overall, the lexical control is strong, and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses, such as 'although the serving area was replaced by a hot-meals section'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are very few, if any, grammatical errors. The control over verb tenses is consistent, correctly shifting between the past tense for the original layout and the present/past mix for the renovation. The writing is clear, precise, and error-free for the most part.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.