Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The maps illustrate how the layout of a college cafe has been revamped and how it looks presently.

Overall, the college cafe has undergone a significant redevelopment. The most notable feature is that it has been expanded to accommodate more food items and an outdoor seating area.

Previously, the kitchen was situated at the upper-left of the plan, and the serving area for all kinds of foods and drinks just below it. The major portion of the cafe was taken by tables and chairs placed throughout the hall. The main entrance was located on the right side, leading directly to the staff dining room each equipped with round tables and cafes. However, the bin was just to the left of the entrance. On the bottom left, a specific area was for the toilets.

At present, kitchen and toilets have retained their position at top left and bottom right respectively, while the serving area has now been replaced by hot meals. Similarly, the staff dining rooms have been converted to two separate rooms (Take away food and Coffee bar). The area dedicated to bin previously has been expanded to accommodate more bins. The most prominent feature is the introduction of a salad bar in the main cafe hall and a dedicated barbecue section with proper outdoor seating.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the two plans, including the expansion of the kitchen, the conversion of the staff dining area, and the addition of the salad bar and barbecue section. The overview is clear and highlights the main changes effectively. However, there are some inaccuracies in the description of the layout. For instance, the student states the toilets retained their position at the 'bottom right', but the plan shows them at the bottom left in both versions. Additionally, the description of the staff dining room as having 'cafes' is confusing. Despite these minor inaccuracies, the main trends are well-summarised and the response is well-structured.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that contrast the 'before' and 'after' states. Cohesive devices such as 'Previously', 'However', and 'At present' are used effectively to guide the reader through the changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of the cafe's development. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the general layout to specific functional changes. The referencing is generally clear, though the occasional confusion regarding spatial directions slightly impacts the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'revamped', 'redevelopment', 'accommodate', and 'dedicated'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are slightly awkward or imprecise, such as 'each equipped with round tables and cafes' (referring to the dining room) and 'the bin was just to the left' (referring to a bin area). Spelling is generally accurate, and the vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the reader to follow the description of the floor plan changes without difficulty.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'kitchen and toilets have retained their position' (missing articles) and 'the area dedicated to bin previously' (missing a noun like 'bins' or 'a bin area'). Additionally, 'each equipped with round tables' is a dangling modifier. However, these errors do not impede communication. The control of punctuation is generally good, and the sentence variety is sufficient to convey the information clearly. The majority of the sentences are clear and understandable.

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