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 diagrams depicts the information about redevelopment of a college cafe before and after modifications in present day.
To commence with given information, in north east direction of the cafe before changes represents that there was a serving area below the kitchen which is now converted into hot meals. Also staff dining rooms are changed into take away and coffee bar, on the east side of cafe a salad bar is constructed and on the west side bin is refurbished into large recycle bins.
On the remaining details, it can be seen that tables and chairs in the center along with toilets on the south west corner are remained intact. Moreover, barbecue and outer seating are are created on the south side of the cafe .
Overall, there are lots of developments can be seen from previous time to current day in cafe but some portions remain unchanged in the cafe
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the new additions like the salad bar and outdoor seating, as well as the areas that remained unchanged. However, the description of the layout is somewhat confusing due to imprecise directional language (e.g., 'below the kitchen'). While the main features are identified, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview that synthesizes the changes effectively. The summary provided in the final paragraph is a bit repetitive. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant trends, such as the expansion of food service areas, rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes awkward, such as 'To commence with given information' and 'On the remaining details'. These phrases do not naturally introduce the content. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes described. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression of information could be improved by grouping changes more thematically (e.g., food service areas vs. seating areas) rather than jumping between different locations in the cafe.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'cafe', 'changes', and 'constructed'. While the student attempts to use specific terminology like 'refurbished' and 'modifications', the range is limited. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'remained intact' being used with 'are' ('are remained intact'), which is grammatically incorrect. To reach a higher band, focus on using more varied synonyms for 'change' and 'add' and ensure collocations are accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors that impede clarity, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The diagrams depicts', 'are are created') and incorrect passive voice construction ('are remained intact'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and proofreading for repeated words would significantly improve the quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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