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 floor plan of a campus cafe shows two types, the one before redesigning, and the other one is the plan of today.
Overall, the layout of the cafe that was redesigned before has some similarities with the design of today. Both of their outer structure is same and the differences are mainly in the interior side.
To begin with the previous design, the entrance is situated at the east of the plan. In the front of the gate, are the two staffs dining rooms and opposite that, are the toilets located at the corner of the south eastern side with a bin along with it. The tables and chairs lies at the front of the employees dining area. In addition, at the upper left side of the workers dining room is the huge kitchen with serving area which has all food and drink.
However, the floor plan of today is distinct than that of the before redesign one. When you enter from the south eastern side, the recycling bins and toilets remains at their position but the workers dining area has changed to a coffee bar and a room which take away food. The kitchen remains at the same area at the corner left side of the plan serving hot meals. The tables and chairs roam around all over the hall. At the exact opposite side of the bin, is a salad bar and at the right side of it is the exit for barbecue with many of the outdoor seatings.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe plans, including the kitchen, seating, and the new additions like the salad bar and outdoor area. However, the description is somewhat imprecise. For instance, referring to 'two staffs dining rooms' is inaccurate based on the visual data, and the spatial descriptions (e.g., 'upper left side') are occasionally vague. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the two plans could be more analytical. To reach a higher band, ensure that all labels are interpreted correctly and that the relationship between the two layouts is highlighted more clearly through comparative language.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'the one before redesigning' or 'that of the before redesign one', which makes the flow slightly repetitive. Paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within the second body paragraph could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the spatial descriptions more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the cafe's layout. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'distinct' and 'situated'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the workers dining area has changed to a coffee bar and a room which take away food' (should be 'takeaway food') and 'tables and chairs roam around all over the hall' (inappropriate verb choice). These errors do not impede communication but limit the precision of the description.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the two staffs dining rooms', 'the workers dining area') and subject-verb agreement ('The tables and chairs lies', 'toilets remains'). Additionally, some phrasing is awkward, such as 'the layout of the cafe that was redesigned before has some similarities'. While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of the information presented. To improve, focus on consistent subject-verb agreement and more accurate use of articles when describing specific areas of the plan.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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