Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The two floor plans illustrate how a college café was altered following a redesign.

Overall, the café was expanded and reconfigured to provide a wider range of food and beverage options, as well as outdoor facilities for students.

Prior to the redesign, the kitchen was situated at the top of the plan, with a serving area beneath it that provided all food and drink. The central space was occupied by tables and chairs, while the left side featured a salad bar and the right side contained toilets, a bin, and an entrance. Notably, the middle section housed two staff dining rooms.

Following the renovation, these staff dining rooms were eliminated and converted into a take-away food outlet and a coffee bar. Additionally, an outdoor barbecue area was constructed on the left, and outdoor seating was introduced at the front of the building. The serving area was renamed "hot meals" and remained in place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the key changes between the two floor plans. You have successfully highlighted the main features, such as the removal of the staff rooms, the addition of the outdoor areas, and the reconfiguration of the serving spaces. The overview provides a clear summary of the transformation. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide more precise comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states, perhaps by noting the change in the total seating capacity or the specific shift in the flow of the café. Overall, the information is accurate and well-selected.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and distinct body paragraphs for the 'before' and 'after' states. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'Prior to the redesign', 'Following the renovation', and 'Additionally' to link your points effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a report of this length. To improve further, ensure that the transition between the description of the original layout and the new layout is even more seamless by explicitly contrasting specific areas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'reconfigured', 'eliminated', 'converted', and 'constructed'. The language is precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling. To move into the higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to architectural changes, such as 'integrated', 'partitioned', or 'spacious', to add more variety to your descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writing is accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use passive voice appropriately to describe the changes (e.g., 'was situated', 'were eliminated', 'was constructed'), which is suitable for this type of task. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The sentences are generally error-free, and the control over grammar is strong. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with more complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses or more varied subordinating conjunctions to link ideas more fluidly.

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

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