Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-28
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 design below illustrates a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
On the one hand, the cafe before redesign has entrance on northeastern side of cafe when we enter if we walk along the path there are dining rooms. These rooms are specially for staff. And in the main hall outside those rooms has a sitting area. However after reconstruction of cafe many things change. Now they redesign two entrance one in same place like old one while other is on westsouthern side of cafe. In this side there is also outdoor sitting available now . On the left side of entrance there is a barbecue counter for customers to enjoy it outside. When we enter the same main hall also sitting avaible in this hall . On the left side of hall there is a salad bar for customer and across the hall on east side there are two counters. One is for take away food they provide food in packing for those customers who wants to take their meal at home and the other counter besides is coffee bar.
If we move further along the path of salad bar there is an entrance to two partitions one is kitchen only for staff and other is hot meals however before reconstruction there was a serving area in place of hot meals and the kitchen, it remained the same.
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 entrances, seating areas, and service counters. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes. While you identify specific additions like the barbecue counter and salad bar, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more structured. The report focuses heavily on listing details rather than synthesizing the information to highlight the transformation of the space. To improve, ensure you provide a clear introductory overview of the main trends and group related features logically to help the reader visualize the changes more effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow within them is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'on the left side' or 'in this hall'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial layout. For example, the transition between the description of the entrance and the internal counters feels abrupt. Improving the use of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the various features of the cafe. However, there is a lack of variety and some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'westsouthern' (which is not standard English) and 'two partitions'. You rely on basic descriptors like 'things change' and 'same place'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to architectural layouts or spatial descriptions, such as 'relocated', 'partitioned', 'adjacent to', or 'transformed'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you convey the information with greater precision and sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Issues include missing articles ('has entrance', 'in main hall'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing ('for those customers who wants to take their meal'). Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for articles, verb endings, and sentence punctuation will help you produce more accurate and professional-sounding text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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