Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-01

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 given maps depict the changes that are done after redesigning a college cafe.

In overview, there are many changes after rebuilding a college cafe. The most significant change is construction of outdoor seating along with barbecue.

In details, the kitchen area in north-west direction remains unchanged. However, serving area for all food and drinks is changed into hot meals. Moreover, in the centre of cafe there was staffs dining rooms which was now transformed into take away food area and coffee bar. Whereas, on west side of cafe new salad bar section build and on east side of cafe bin area is now reform into recycling bin area.

Furthermore, toilets remained unchange.

In addition, new outdoor seating constructed for people who love to sit outside and along with it on west side of cafe a new barbecue section was is also constructed for grilling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the new seating and the transformation of the staff room. However, it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While the key changes are identified, the description lacks sufficient detail and comparative analysis to fully develop the response. The overview is somewhat simplistic, and the report would benefit from a more structured approach to grouping the changes (e.g., structural changes versus functional changes) to provide a more comprehensive summary of the information provided in the plans.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'Whereas', 'Furthermore'). The transition between sentences is occasionally abrupt, and the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'Whereas, on west side of cafe new salad bar section build'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the overall flow and coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'remains unchanged' and 'is changed into' are used frequently. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'bin area is now reform into' instead of 'reformed into' or 'converted into'. To achieve a higher band score, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary related to describing changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', 'transformed', or 'replaced', and ensure that these terms are used with greater precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'changes that are done after' (should be 'have been made'), 'staffs dining rooms which was now transformed' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'bin area is now reform' (incorrect verb form). Additionally, there are missing articles throughout the text, such as 'on west side' instead of 'on the west side'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score.

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

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