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 plans illustrates how a college cafe developed into new one.
overall it is clear that a college are underwent a significant change. The most noticeable changed was the development of salaad bar and coffee bar and removal of staff dining rooms. Moreover, the sitting place built outside the cafe.
The simple kitchen of a college cafe which contained both hot and cold drinks changed into two separate kitchen in which hot meals are now provides separately. And staff dinning room modified into a coffee bar and food delivered room. The small area for the waste extended into large area.
In addition, a salaad bar constructed in the nor.th side of the cafe. a small sitting area built in front of the cafe.
while toilets remained unchanged. In contrast, the place for the chair and tables inside the cafe remained same and main gate replaced from near to toilets to the waste area.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the kitchen modifications, the addition of the salad bar, and the new outdoor seating area. However, the response lacks a clear overview of the most significant changes, and some details are inaccurate or confusing, such as the description of the 'waste area' (which appears to be a waste storage room) and the 'food delivered room'. While you have covered the main points, the lack of precise terminology and some minor inaccuracies in reporting the spatial changes prevent this from reaching a higher band. Ensure you clearly distinguish between the 'before' and 'after' states to improve clarity.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'In contrast' to link ideas. However, the progression of information is sometimes disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is occasionally mechanical or slightly misused. For example, the transition between the kitchen description and the seating area is abrupt. To improve, focus on grouping related features together more logically and ensuring that your referencing (e.g., 'the place for the chair') is clear and flows naturally from the previous sentence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes, such as 'removed', 'modified', and 'extended'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'salaad bar' (spelling), 'food delivered room', and 'the place for the chair and tables'. These errors occasionally impede the flow of information. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to floor plans and layouts, such as 'relocated', 'partitioned', or 'designated area', and ensure accurate spelling of key terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The plans illustrates', 'a college are underwent'), missing articles ('the sitting place built', 'in nor.th side'), and incorrect verb forms ('hot meals are now provides'). These errors are noticeable and sometimes distract the reader. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these basic errors limits the score. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article 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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