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 map illustrates the changes made to a college caffe, how it looks now and the earlier picture of it. There are a lot of significant changes. To begin with the earlier in kitchen there was a table for beverages but now it is for hot meals and the further kitchen is still consistent as it was before. There are additional facilities added such as a door in west barbecue place and outdoor dining tables. Sum of five tables are placed in dining.

There are three big tables and two small. Each big table

Is with six chairs and each small table comprise four chairs however the toilet is same as it was before but recycling bin is comparetively big now. Left side of the hall is now a salad bar where tables and chairs will be placed. Staff dining rooms are converted into take away for food and coffee bar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the redesign, such as the changes to the kitchen, the addition of outdoor seating, and the conversion of the staff room. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for a high band score in Task 1. Some details are slightly confusing, such as the description of the 'further kitchen' and the 'west barbecue place,' which are not clearly identifiable from the prompt. To improve, ensure you provide a clear introductory summary of the overall transformation before detailing specific changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. There is a lack of paragraphing to separate the introduction, the overview, and the specific details. While some cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'however' are used, the flow between sentences is often mechanical and sometimes disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the transition between the kitchen description and the dining area. Using clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words would significantly improve the logical progression of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'caffe' instead of 'cafe' and 'comparetively' instead of 'comparatively'. The phrasing is often repetitive, relying on simple structures like 'there are' or 'it was before'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use more precise verbs to describe changes, such as 'transformed,' 'relocated,' or 'expanded,' and ensure that technical terms related to the layout are used accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Each big table Is with six chairs' (incorrect preposition/structure) and 'each small table comprise four chairs' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and erratic capitalization. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement.

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

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