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 given map illustrate the information about the changes took place in the past and have taken place in present time at college cafe.

To start with; in the North west side there was an big kitchen and lower side of kitchen there was big service area in the middle of the map there was an 2 staff dinning room. un the south side there was an tables and chairs. in the down left side of map there was toilets and upper side a bin

In the present time, the services area replaced by the hot meals and dinning area is replaced by take away food and coffee bar respectively. In the west side there is a salad bar. Tables and chairs are stable there.

Bin is replaced by recycling bin there are some addition of outdoor seating and barbecue.

Overall ,there are several changes, the principal changes are the addition of outdoor seating as well as coffee bar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task by identifying the main changes between the two plans. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant transformations. While you mention the addition of outdoor seating and the coffee bar in the final paragraph, the body paragraphs focus on listing locations rather than synthesizing the information effectively. To improve, ensure you group features logically (e.g., structural changes vs. functional changes) and provide a more comprehensive summary of the overall transformation in the introduction or overview section.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'in the... side'. There are also issues with referencing; for instance, 'the services area' is mentioned without clear connection to the previous plan. The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel a bit stilted. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring clear transitions between the 'before' and 'after' states would significantly improve the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic descriptors like 'big' and 'lower side', and there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'the changes took place in the past and have taken place in present time'. Additionally, there are minor errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'staff dinning room' (should be 'dining'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and facility changes, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'converted'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include incorrect article usage ('an big kitchen', 'an tables'), subject-verb agreement errors ('the services area replaced by'), and punctuation mistakes (e.g., the semicolon usage in 'To start with;'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for articles and pluralization would be highly beneficial.

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

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