Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The two maps illustrates how college cafe has redeveloped and comparing its layout prior to a redesign with its present-day configuration.
overall, the college cafe has undergone significant redevelopment, with many original feature being removed or replaced. outdoor seating facilities have been added, including barbecue, salad bar, coffee bar, while the kitchen area and toilets remain unchanged.
At the present day the staff dining room which has now been replaced by take away food and coffee bar. They added more recycling bins
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the ability to fully address the task. While you have identified some main features, such as the addition of outdoor seating and the removal of the staff dining room, the description is incomplete and lacks the necessary detail to provide a comprehensive summary. Many areas of the map are ignored, and there is no attempt to provide a detailed comparison of the layout changes. To improve, you must ensure you meet the word count by describing all key changes and providing a more thorough overview of the spatial transformations shown in the diagrams.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into short paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is minimal and sometimes inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'At the present day'. The lack of sufficient content makes it difficult to establish a logical flow between the introduction, the overview, and the body details. To improve, you should use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'in contrast', 'furthermore', 'subsequently') to connect your observations and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus that contributes to the overall summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. You rely on simple terms like 'added' and 'changed' throughout the text. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'maps illustrates' (subject-verb agreement) and 'original feature being removed' (pluralization error). To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise vocabulary related to describing changes, such as 'transformed', 'replaced by', 'converted into', or 'relocated'. Expanding your range of descriptive language will help you convey the specific nature of the modifications more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('The two maps illustrates') and missing articles ('the college cafe'). Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. The phrase 'At the present day the staff dining room which has now been replaced' is a sentence fragment and lacks a main verb for the subject. To improve, focus on ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and practice using complex structures like passive voice, which is essential for describing changes in diagrams.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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