Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-26

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 given plans illustrate a collage cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now, the plans clearly shows all the changes happens in the cafe before redesign and the cafe today.

In the first plan we can clearly see that when you enter the cafe, you will find bin on the left side and a toilets area also and on the front there is staff dinning rooms and tables and chairs in the middle of the cafe, on the other end of the cafe there is litchen area and a serving area too where you can get all food and drinks.

Moreover, if we look for another plan which shows the cafe today so we can see the recycling bins area on the same place and toilets too but the staff dining rooms are now separated into two rooms in which one is a coffee bar and another one is take away food area, the tables and chairs are same in the middle as the past cafe structure but there is a salad bar opened newly on the side of kitchen, as the kitchen remains still on the old place and the serving area is now hot meals area is a change into kitchen side and also there is a big change that there is now an outdoor setting area and also barbecue area on the left side along with outdoor area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of the outdoor area and the reconfiguration of the internal rooms. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary paragraph, which is essential for Task 1. The description is somewhat repetitive and relies heavily on a sequential 'walk-through' approach rather than grouping information logically. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more analytical. To improve, ensure you provide a concise summary of the most significant changes in the introduction or as a separate paragraph, and focus on reporting trends and major shifts rather than listing every minor detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by informal phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, with phrases like 'if we look for another plan' and 'on the other end of the cafe' feeling slightly unnatural. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of the new features. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus. The current structure feels more like a narrative than a formal report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'collage cafe' (likely a typo for 'college'), 'litchen area', and 'as the kitchen remains still on the old place'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptive terms. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', 'adjacent to', 'situated', and 'converted'. Avoid informal language and focus on using collocations accurately to describe the changes in the layout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'the plans clearly shows' (subject-verb agreement), 'changes happens' (tense error), and 'is a change into kitchen side' (unclear syntax). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences that lack proper conjunctions or full stops. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining sentence boundaries would significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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