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 two figures illustrates the design of previous and current redesigned layout of a college cafe.
It's clear that the redesigned layout focused on more customer-friendly space with the expanding of outer seating layout. Creating diverse option for customer like BBQ, Salad bar, coffee bar and take away food.
In the original deisgn, it had less option of food and was less spacious for customers. The serving area was too limited for serving all the food and drinks. There were two staff dining rooms and the bin was small on the right wall of the cafe. The toilets were at the right-bottom corner of the cafe.
After redesign, The main changes were in the serving area. It got divided into hot meals, salad bar, coffee bar and take away food sections. Which is currently very convenient for the staffs as well as customers. However, the staff dining room has been removed from the layout. Also there is a significant alternation on the space because it has been expanded by creating outdoor seating options for more customers. New doors has been introduced for entry and exit. An special outdoor live barbecue has been added. The toilets are as they were and recycling bins were made larger.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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, including the expansion of the serving area and the addition of outdoor seating. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it lists specific features rather than identifying the most significant trends, such as the shift from a functional, staff-oriented space to a more customer-centric, diverse dining environment. While the key changes are mentioned, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more analytical. The inclusion of specific details like the removal of staff rooms and the addition of the barbecue is good, but the overall summary lacks a cohesive synthesis of the transformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the original design to the current one. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, starting a sentence with 'Which is currently...' creates a fragment, and the transition 'However' is used to introduce the removal of staff rooms, which is not necessarily a contrast to the previous point about convenience. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the layout changes effectively. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'significant alternation' (though 'alteration' was intended) and 'customer-friendly'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'deisgn' and 'staffs' (staff is an uncountable noun). The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but the lack of precision in word forms and occasional spelling mistakes prevents a higher score. More precise terminology for describing spatial changes would enhance the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The two figures illustrates') and incorrect article usage ('An special outdoor'). Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the sentence fragment 'Which is currently very convenient...'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall control of grammar. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that complex sentences are constructed with correct punctuation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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