Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The diagrams illustrate the previous structure and the current layout of college cafe after redevelopment.

Overall, it is evident that college cafe had undergone a significant transformation with the introduction of outdoor seating, coffee bar, barbecue spot, salad bar section and a special area for take away food.

Regarding the structure of college cafe before redesigning, kitchen was located at the apex of the northwestern area followed by a serving area for all food and drink. On the north central, are staff dinning rooms and it was immediately followed by a section for tables and chairs at the central of the cafe. At the south eastern corner, are toilets with bin spot above it.

Turning to the present structure, kitchen is still located at the apex of northwestern but the area below it has been repurposed into a section for hot meals. Furthermore, the staff dinning rooms at the apex of the north has now been converted into an area for take away food beside it is a new area for coffee bar. At the western corner, is a salad bar whereas recycling bins and toilets are still situated at the eastern corner. However, outside of the cafe has be put into used by constructing a barbecue stand on the left corner followed by outdoor seating.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of new facilities like the barbecue stand and outdoor seating. You have provided a clear overview and compared the 'before' and 'after' states effectively. However, the description of the layout is occasionally imprecise; for instance, using 'apex' to describe the location of rooms is slightly unnatural in this context. To reach a higher band, ensure that spatial descriptions are more precise (e.g., 'north-western corner' rather than 'apex'). Overall, the task is well-covered with a logical selection of information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the 'before' and 'after' states. You use cohesive devices such as 'Regarding', 'Turning to', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by minor mechanical errors in referencing, such as 'outside of the cafe has be put into used'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the transition between sentences could be smoother to avoid a list-like feel. The progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'repurposed', and 'transformation'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'bin spot' (should be 'bin area') and 'put into used' (should be 'put to use'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations for describing spatial layouts and facility changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the' is frequently missing, e.g., 'kitchen was located', 'at the central of the cafe') and verb forms ('has be put into used'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the information. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of definite articles when describing specific locations in a diagram.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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