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 map illustrates the layout of the college cafe before redesigning and at the present. Overall, there were many changes that have been made such as a Salad bar, outside seating area, and staff rooms were converted into takeaways and coffee bar. First of all, there was a spacious kitchen and a serving area located in the northern side of the cafe. In the middle, there were two separate dining rooms and a small bin was also placed in the corner. on the right side of the south there was also a toilet and they placed tables and chairs in the remaining area. At present, they replaced serving area with the hot meals; however, the bin is also replaced by labeled recycling bins. They also introduced a Salad bar in the left corner of the western side of the cafe. The two new developments have occurred. They introduced a barbecue area and outside seating plan for students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of the salad bar, barbecue area, and the conversion of rooms. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant trends, which is essential for a high band score. The description of the 'before' layout is somewhat cluttered, and the comparison between the two plans could be more analytical. While the main features are mentioned, the response would benefit from a more structured approach that clearly contrasts the 'before' and 'after' states to provide a more comprehensive summary of the information provided in the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, though the transition between the 'before' and 'after' sections is somewhat abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'First of all' and 'At present', but the flow is occasionally mechanical. The referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, 'on the right side of the south' is awkward and confusing. The logical progression of ideas is present, but the paragraphing could be more effectively used to separate the description of the original layout from the changes made, which would improve the overall readability and coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the layout and changes. There are attempts to use specific terminology like 'redesigned', 'converted', and 'developments'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'outside seating plan' (which should be 'area') and 'the bin is also replaced by' (which should be 'replaced with'). The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Improving the use of spatial vocabulary would enhance the clarity of the description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'before redesigning and at the present' (which should be 'before the redesign and at present') and 'on the right side of the south' (which is grammatically awkward). Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the use of semicolons and capitalization after full stops. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. A greater focus on sentence structure and proofreading for minor errors would be beneficial.

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.