Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04
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 maps illustrate the changes that took place in a college cafe in past and how it looks now
Overall, the kitchen area remained relatively unchanged, although hot meals was introduced and serving area was removed.
Looking first at the northern part of the area, serving area was removed. In addition, staff dining rooms was replaced by take away food and coffee bar. Meanwhile, kitchen remained unchanged. Interestingly, tables and chairs was same in the center of a cafe in a college. Whereas, toilets was remained positioned at same place and new gate was installed near the outdoor seating.
Turning to the eastern part of the map, bins was changed. Furthermore, recycling bins and salad bar was introduced in eastern side of a college. While, barbecue was added in southeast direction. The new 2 horizontally and 3 vertically outdoor seating was built in a college cafe in southern part of map.
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 removal of the serving area and the addition of new facilities like the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, the report lacks a clear overview of the most significant changes, such as the overall expansion of seating capacity or the shift in the cafe's layout. While the key features are identified, the description of the outdoor seating is slightly confusing ('2 horizontally and 3 vertically'), and the report would benefit from a more analytical approach to comparing the 'before' and 'after' states rather than simply listing changes in a sequential manner.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'Looking first at', 'In addition', 'Meanwhile', and 'Turning to'. However, the flow is somewhat mechanical, and the logical progression between sentences is occasionally hindered by repetitive phrasing. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, and the transition between the northern and eastern parts of the cafe feels a bit disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes to the cafe. However, the range is limited and there is significant repetition of basic verbs like 'removed', 'remained', and 'introduced'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'new gate was installed' (when referring to an entrance) and 'bins was changed'. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to use more precise terminology related to spatial changes and facility upgrades, and avoid repetitive sentence structures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement. Examples include 'hot meals was introduced', 'staff dining rooms was replaced', 'tables and chairs was same', and 'toilets was remained'. These errors are persistent throughout the text. While the writer attempts to use a mix of simple and complex structures, the accuracy is inconsistent. The punctuation is generally functional, but the grammatical slips are frequent enough to occasionally distract the reader. Focusing on basic agreement rules and proofreading for plural/singular consistency is essential for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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