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 depicts the information regarding the refurbishment in the college cafe as many new installation in cafe is done for their betterment and their economic growth.

Firstly, the kitchen is at the same place in both given maps but the serving area is changed with the hot meals in new infastructure. On the other hand, salad bar is newly design in the north-western side of the cafe. The tables and chairs are at the center in both before and after redesigned.

Futhermore, In today's college cafe barbecue is newly install in the western side. There were no outdoor seating space in the previous cafe but it newly install in outside of the cafe. While, staff dining space are updated with take away food and coffee bar section. Moreover, bin are replaced with recycling bins and toilets are same at south-eastern corner of the map.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the cafe redesign, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. The inclusion of 'economic growth' is an assumption not supported by the visual data, which is irrelevant to the task. To improve, ensure you provide a clear, concise overview of the major trends (e.g., the expansion of seating and the addition of new service areas) and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to fully develop your points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is somewhat mechanical. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover', but the transitions between sentences are occasionally abrupt. The paragraphing is also inconsistent, as the second paragraph contains a mix of disparate points that could be better grouped by theme (e.g., structural changes vs. service additions). To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus to help the reader follow your comparison more easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several errors in word choice and form, such as 'newly install' instead of 'newly installed' and 'infastructure' (spelling error). You rely on basic descriptors and could benefit from using more precise terminology related to maps and floor plans, such as 'relocated', 'extended', or 'transformed'. The range is somewhat limited, and the errors in word formation occasionally draw attention to the language rather than the content. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will help you achieve a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'many new installation in cafe is done' (subject-verb agreement and article usage) and 'bin are replaced' (pluralization). There are also issues with tense consistency and preposition usage, such as 'in outside of the cafe'. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation hinder the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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