Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-29
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 DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATE THE COLLEGE PLANS BEFORE REDESIGNED AND CURRENT LOOK
OVERALL, THIS CAFE HAS UNDERGONE SUBSTANTIAL TRANSFORMATION OVER THE SHOWN PERIOD. MARKED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF MAJOR FEATURES SUCH AS SALAD BAR AND OUTDOOR DOOR SEATING AS WELL AS THE REMOVAL OR MODIFIED OF BIN,TAKE AWAY AND SERVING AREA. HOWEVER, CERTAIN FEATURES DID NOT UNDERGO ANY CHANGES.
CAFE BEFORE DESIGN, CAFE HAD A SMALL ROOM FOR KITCHEN, AND SERVING ARE THAT HAVE ALL FOOD AND DRINK AS WELL. THEN THERE WAS HUGE MAIN HALL THAT HAVE TABLE AND CHAIRS ON IT. AND THAT HALL HAVE TWO STAFF DINING ROOMS. AT THE CORNER HALL HAVE THERE WERE TOILETS. IN THE ADJACENT OF THE TOILETS THERE WAS BIN PLACED.
CURRENT LAYOUT, CAKE INCLUDE A LOT OF FEATURES SUCH AS KITCHENS SERVING AREA WAS MODIFIED AS HOT MEALS AREA. AND THE STAFF DINING ROOMS CONVERTED INTO TAKE AWAY FOOD AND COFFEE BAR. IN THE HALL ADD SALAD BAR IN WEST SIDE. OUTDOOR CONTAIN WITH NEW SEATING AND THERE IS A BARBECUE SETUP AS WELL.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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, such as the kitchen modifications and the addition of the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical comparison. While the overview identifies that a transformation occurred, it does not fully synthesize the changes to provide a cohesive summary. Some details, such as the specific location of the toilets or the bin, are mentioned but not integrated into a clear spatial description. To improve, focus on grouping features logically (e.g., internal vs. external changes) rather than listing them sequentially.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or awkward, such as the frequent use of 'and' to connect clauses. The transition between the 'before' and 'current' sections is functional but lacks sophisticated linking phrases. Additionally, some sentences are fragmented or lack proper logical flow, making the progression of ideas feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'huge main hall that have table and chairs on it' and 'outdoor contain with new seating'. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with accurate collocations. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions, such as 'situated', 'replaced by', 'converted into', or 'adjacent to', and avoid repetitive sentence structures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the diagram illustrate', 'hall have there were') and article usage. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors that can impede clarity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and incorrect capitalization. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that articles are used correctly before nouns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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