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)
Plans compares the college cafeteria from before to after redesigning of it.
Overall, the major changes include a new barbecue stand along with extended outdoor seating, and salad bar is introduced. Moreover, staff dining rooms are redeveloped to take away food area and coffee bar, and slight changes in kitchen in bin area.
As observed, the staff dining rooms are redeveloped to facilitate take away food orders and a coffee bar. In addition to this, a barbecue station with outdoor seating is introduced just outside the wall with two doors for access opposite to the coffee bar. Furthermore, bin section is enlarged to facilitate recycling wastes, and no changes are seen in toilets that are just beside the bin. Additionally a new salad bar is added on the opposite wall of the recycling bin. Lastly, slight developments are made in kitchen area, where the serving area at the front is redesigned to facilitate hot meals.
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 successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the new barbecue area, the salad bar, and the conversion of the staff dining room. The overview provides a clear summary of the most significant changes. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical comparison. While it lists the changes, it does not fully synthesize the information to highlight the overall transformation of the space. The description of the kitchen and bin area is somewhat repetitive, and the spatial relationships (e.g., 'opposite to the coffee bar') could be described with more precision to better guide the reader through the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, starting with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph detailing the changes. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition to this', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. The referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the bin area and the toilets could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a short report, but the overall progression of information could be more refined to ensure a more natural reading experience.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes clearly. Terms like 'redeveloped', 'facilitate', and 'redesigned' are used appropriately. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'slight changes in kitchen in bin area' and 'recycling wastes' (waste is usually uncountable). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise descriptive language related to spatial layout and architectural changes, such as 'relocated', 'partitioned', or 'integrated'.
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 'Plans compares' (subject-verb agreement), 'redesigning of it' (awkward phrasing), and 'bin section is enlarged' (missing article). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but control over articles and prepositions remains inconsistent. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would significantly improve the quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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