Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03
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 plans illustrate a collage cafe before and after when was redesigned.
overall, the redesign change replace some of area with other counters, whereas some new areas built completely new such as barbecue and outdoor seating.
to commence with, the serving area now completely replace by hot meals counter and staff dining room now used as coffee bar and take away food section, on the other hand a new salad bar counter for health concious individuals, whereas toilets remain un touch with tables and chairs in the center of cafe.
in contrast, the bin are now converted to recycling bins and some new areas has been introduse first one in left side of cafe, new barbecue is now avalable at outdoor secondly new outdoor seating is built in right front of barbecue and two new doors now open for easy access of this area one is near toilets and the other one near salad bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, including the changes to the serving area, the addition of the barbecue and outdoor seating, and the retention of the toilets. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more effectively integrated to highlight the transformation. The response addresses all parts of the task, but the development of ideas is limited, and the summary of the changes is somewhat disjointed, preventing it from reaching a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or slightly awkward, such as the frequent use of 'whereas' and 'on the other hand' to connect clauses. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by run-on sentences and a lack of clear transition between the internal cafe changes and the external additions. While the overall arrangement is coherent, the mechanical nature of the linking words and some issues with referencing (e.g., 'first one in left side') limit the flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors, such as 'collage' instead of 'college', 'concious' instead of 'conscious', and 'introduse' instead of 'introduced'. The student relies on basic descriptive language and struggles with accurate collocations, such as 'remain un touch' instead of 'remained untouched'. While the meaning is generally clear, the limited range of vocabulary and the frequency of spelling errors prevent a higher score. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology for describing spatial changes and proofreading for common spelling mistakes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'before and after when was redesigned' (missing subject/passive voice error), 'the redesign change replace' (subject-verb agreement), and 'some new areas has been introduse' (subject-verb agreement and tense). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences that lack proper conjunctions or full stops. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence structure indicates a need for more careful control over sentence construction.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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