Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30
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 illustrate the structure of college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
Overall, there was a big change observed as a barbecue and outdoor sitting constructed, with indoor and outdoor gate. As like, inside of the infrastructure converted into more customer dealing facility.
In the East side of the diagram, a bin is converted into recycling bins occupy more volume tha before. Whereas, there is no change looking in toilets building. Moreover, in the North side, a noticeable arrangments are done with converting staff dinning rooms into take away food and coffee bar for out customers. Also, service area in the kitchen is converted into hot meals point.
In the west side, a salad bar is removed and a barbecue made in the outside of the canteen. Next, a significant plan is builded with outdoor seating and indoor and outdoor gate. While the arrangment of chairs and tables in the centre of hall is remained unchanged.
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 redesign, such as the addition of the barbecue, the outdoor seating, and the conversion of the staff dining room. However, the description is occasionally imprecise, such as stating 'there is no change looking in toilets building' when the layout clearly shows a change in the entrance. The overview is somewhat vague, and some details, like the 'indoor and outdoor gate', are slightly confusing. To improve, ensure that all spatial references are accurate and that the overview highlights the most significant transformations, such as the shift toward a more customer-focused layout, rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific area of the cafe. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover', 'In the west side', and 'While', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'As like' at the beginning of the second paragraph. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to avoid a list-like quality. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sections of the cafe, which aids readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'customer dealing facility', 'recycling bins occupy more volume tha before', and 'a significant plan is builded'. Spelling errors like 'arrangments' and 'dinning' also detract from the quality. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing changes, such as 'replaced', 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'transformed', and ensure accurate spelling of common academic terms.
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 'a barbecue and outdoor sitting constructed' (missing auxiliary verb), 'a significant plan is builded' (incorrect verb form), and 'the arrangement... is remained unchanged' (incorrect passive voice). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure often feels repetitive. To improve, work on consistent use of passive voice for describing changes and ensure subject-verb agreement is maintained throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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