Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The figure illustrate a college cafe before it was renovated and how it looks after renovation.
Overall, there had been several changes in cafe after renovation. Barbecue area had been added with cafe and it has huge space of sitting as well. Before renovation there was not as much facilities and variety of food in cafe then now.
However, before renovation in cafe there is vast space for table and chairs for sitting. At the corner there is a kitchen and one window for the serving food and drinks. On the right side of kitchen there is staff dining rooms. That is only for staff so they can have lunch easily there. Moreover, there is a bin and toilet space as well for the staff and students.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement. While you identify some features of the cafe, the description is incomplete. You mention the addition of a barbecue area and seating, but you fail to describe the current layout in detail, such as the relocation of the kitchen, the addition of a coffee machine, or the new entrance. Furthermore, the analysis is superficial; you rely on subjective statements like 'not as much facilities' rather than objectively describing the visual changes shown in the plans. To improve, ensure you cover all major changes and meet the length requirement to allow for full development of the information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. You use basic cohesive devices like 'However' and 'Moreover', but the transition between the 'before' and 'after' states is confusing. For instance, you discuss the 'before' state in the final paragraph, which makes the overall structure difficult to follow. The referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Barbecue area had been added with cafe', where the connection to the previous information is weak. Improving the logical flow between sentences and ensuring a clear chronological or thematic structure will help improve your score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is generally functional but limited. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'before renovation' and 'after renovation'. There is a lack of precise terminology to describe the changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', 'installed', or 'converted'. You also make errors in word choice, such as 'not as much facilities' (should be 'not as many facilities') and 'huge space of sitting' (should be 'ample seating area'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more specific vocabulary related to floor plans and spatial changes, and ensure your collocations are accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally hinder clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The figure illustrate' instead of 'The figure illustrates') and incorrect tense usage ('there is vast space' when describing the past). You rely almost exclusively on simple sentence structures. To improve, you need to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or passive voice, which is particularly useful for describing changes in a process or plan. Additionally, pay closer attention to articles and pluralisation to reduce the frequency of errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.