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 two maps show the layout changes of a cafe at a college before and after redesigning.
Overall, cafe had been upgraded with an aim to provide better services. The major change that can be seen is the staff dining rooms being replaced by take away and a coffee bar. Moreover, salad bar and a barbecue area along with outdoor seating was also introduced.
Before the renovations, there is a kitchen and a serving area on the north-east side. There is staff dining rooms and table and chairs for the people. At the east there is a bin and toilets on the south-east.
After the renovations, the area where serving of foods and drinks was carried out now, has been replaced by "hot meals". A significant change was of staff dining rooms which was replaced by two different rooms i.e. take away and coffee bar. Renovations also consisted of a salad bar and a barbecue section. Also seating area was expanded, facilitating the visitors with outdoor seating as well.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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, including the addition of the salad bar, barbecue area, and the reconfiguration of the dining spaces. However, the report lacks precision in describing the spatial relationships. For instance, stating 'at the east there is a bin' is vague, and the description of the 'hot meals' area is slightly confusing as it does not clearly contrast with the previous serving area. To reach a higher band, you should focus on more accurate spatial descriptions (e.g., 'in the north-east corner') and ensure that all major changes are clearly compared rather than just listed. The overview is present but could be more detailed regarding the overall expansion of the facility.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Before the renovations', and 'After the renovations' helps guide the reader. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. The transition between the description of the 'before' state and the 'after' state is clear, but the referencing is occasionally repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods, which assists in the overall readability of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'redesigned', 'renovations', 'facilitating', and 'expanded'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'staff dining rooms being replaced by take away', where 'takeaway service' or 'a takeaway counter' would be more precise. The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the sophistication and variety required for a higher band. You should aim to use more precise collocations when describing layout changes, such as 'relocated', 'converted into', or 'transformed'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'cafe had been upgraded' (should be 'the cafe'), 'there is staff dining rooms' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'where serving of foods and drinks was carried out now' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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