Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The illustration shows a college cafe before and after its redesign.

overall, the cafe has improved its layout and design significantly making it easier and efficient for the customer flow, expanding from giving closed room experience to more natural outdoor one too.

Initially, the cafe served all the drinks and foods from the same counter just downward of the cafe kitchen. Staff dining rooms took up majority of the space in the cafe. Toilets and bins were at the eastern side of the cafe.

After the redesign, single serving area was removed and more individual approach was taken, like serving hot meals, salad, coffee and other things at their own individual bars and counters. Staff dining rooms was been completely discarded and an area for take away food was constructed in half of its area to maximize the self service trend and efficiency. A new barbecue area outside the cafe has opened at the west side of the cafe, The cafe expanded not just indoors but the 5 sets of tables was seen outside the cafe too. Recycling bins were being used instead of ordinary bins which show a healthy move towards environmental practices.

Notably, The mid section of the cafe which contained the tables and chairs saw no change, but the addition of two more entrances can be seen to make the services and customer flow more open and accessible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, including the changes to the serving area, the removal of the staff dining room, and the addition of outdoor facilities. You made relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states. To reach a higher band, ensure that your overview is more precise; for example, instead of saying the cafe 'improved its layout,' highlight the shift from a centralized service to a decentralized, multi-counter system. Additionally, ensure all data points are accurate, as you mentioned '5 sets of tables' outside, which should be clearly linked to the visual evidence provided in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding observation. You use paragraphing effectively to separate the 'before' and 'after' states. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. For instance, the transition 'Notably, The mid section...' is a bit abrupt. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'the cafe', 'its') is always clear to avoid ambiguity. The overall progression of ideas is easy to follow, which is a strength.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redesign,' 'decentralized,' and 'environmental practices.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'closed room experience' or 'downward of the cafe kitchen,' which sound unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations related to spatial descriptions and architectural changes. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'Staff dining rooms was been completely discarded' (subject-verb agreement and tense error) and 'the 5 sets of tables was seen' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, there are minor punctuation errors, such as the capitalization of 'The' in the middle of a sentence. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tenses.

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

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