Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27
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 maps illustrate changes in the layout of a college cafe which is manufacturing for better facilities in present day.
Overall, a brief analysis reveals that several large changes are made to a college cafe, including the addition of new facilities like kitchen, tables and chairs, toilets, serving area and staff dining rooms, however the staff dining rooms was removed during the redesign.
Looking first at the original layout, it can be seen that the north-west of the cafe had kitchen and serving area which provided all food and drink. Likewise, staff dining rooms was located in the northern part of the cafe. On the east of the area had bin, and toilets was located in the south-west part of the cafe. There are some tables and chairs laid in here.
Turning to the current layout, it is evident that there has been added certain infrastructures outside of the cafe which are made for outdoor seating, and there are also accumulated two rooms for salad bar and barbecue on the west side of the area. There are replaced two rooms for takeaway food and coffee bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of outdoor seating and the reconfiguration of the kitchen and serving areas. However, the description is somewhat inaccurate; for instance, the student claims the staff dining room was removed, whereas the plans show it was actually relocated or repurposed. Additionally, the summary of the 'original' layout contains errors regarding the location of the toilets and the bin. While the task is addressed, the lack of precision in reporting the visual data limits the score. To improve, ensure that the information extracted from the diagrams is factually accurate and clearly contrasted.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, moving from an overview to specific details. Cohesive devices such as 'Looking first at', 'Likewise', and 'Turning to' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and some mechanical use of transitions. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing locations (e.g., 'laid in here'). While the structure is generally coherent, the progression of ideas could be smoother and more precise to achieve a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of unnatural word choices, such as 'manufacturing for better facilities' and 'accumulated two rooms'. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with accurate collocations related to architectural or spatial descriptions. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', 'converted', or 'demolished', rather than generic verbs like 'accumulated' or 'added'.
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 clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('staff dining rooms was removed', 'toilets was located') and awkward passive constructions ('There are replaced two rooms'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure often feels repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on correcting basic subject-verb agreement and refining the use of passive voice, which is essential for describing processes and changes in layout.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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