Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02

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 schematic diagram represents a plan of the cafe and its renovated version in the future.

Overall, the modified version of the cafe has an expanded seating area. It also has replaced the dining rooms for the staff with other spots. The unoccupied space of the cafe is fulfilled with various zones.

The cafe consist of two staff dining rooms which are opposite of the entry gateway. To the bottom left there exist toilets and a trash bin. The remaining area is occupied by the table and chairs arranged. There is a small block ,to the north-west of the hall, which comprises kitchen and a food counter for all kind of food and drinks.

The latest model involves numerous shifts, including the outdoor space where people can have seating arranged along with a barbecue store. Dining rooms for the staff were removed; take away centre and coffee bar was established. A new salad bar was set up in the empty spot in the corner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the expansion of seating and the removal of staff rooms. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks precise spatial referencing. For example, stating 'the unoccupied space is fulfilled with various zones' is vague. The report would benefit from more specific comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states, such as quantifying the changes or noting the exact relocation of the kitchen. While the main features are identified, the development of these points is limited, preventing a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the 'before' and 'after' states. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For instance, the transition between sentences in the third paragraph feels disjointed. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated linking words or varied referencing makes the flow feel slightly stilted at times.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the layout and changes effectively. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'schematic diagram' and 'renovated version'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the unoccupied space of the cafe is fulfilled' (should be 'filled') and 'all kind of food' (should be 'all kinds of food'). The range is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The cafe consist of' (subject-verb agreement) and 'take away centre and coffee bar was established' (missing articles and plural agreement). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage around prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching the 7.0 band, which requires more frequent error-free sentences.

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

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