Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-31

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 map illustrates that how café design was before and changed after development in the present. Several places were redesigned and some new points were added after significant developments. However, the staff dining rooms were replaced with two sections, which are a takeaway food area and the second one is a coffee bar. Additionally, the café area is expanding with some outside seating for visitors on the south side. Furthermore, A barbecue point was added in the south-west corner. The visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy outside views. The serving areas of food and drinks were converted into hot meals along with kitchen path.

Table and chairs remained at the same place in the center. A salad bar was built on the west side. Toilets remained the same at south-east corner. A bin on the east side was replaced by a recycling bin. In contrast, the kitchen occupied the same place as it was before.

Overall, by adding some main points it may benefit the café's income. An outdoor seating had a major advantage where more individuals would be served.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of the takeaway area, coffee bar, and outdoor seating. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it focuses on the potential benefits (income) rather than summarizing the most significant physical changes. Additionally, some descriptions are slightly confusing, such as 'The serving areas of food and drinks were converted into hot meals,' which misinterprets the visual data. While all parts of the task are addressed, the reporting of information lacks the precision required for a higher band, as some spatial relationships are described vaguely or inaccurately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. There is a logical progression from the general changes to specific details. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the transition 'In contrast, the kitchen occupied the same place as it was before,' where 'in contrast' does not logically fit the context of a feature remaining unchanged. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the spatial descriptions more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes to the cafe. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'significant developments' and 'opportunity to enjoy,' but there are also instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'map' (it is a plan) and 'main points' (referring to physical features). Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'kitchen path.' While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the student relies on basic descriptors to convey the spatial changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The map illustrates that how café design was,' which contains an unnecessary 'that.' Other issues include article misuse ('A barbecue point,' 'An outdoor seating') and tense inconsistencies. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles with uncountable nouns like 'seating.'

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

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