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 two maps illustrate the layout of a college café before and after it was redesigned.
Overall, there are some major changes such as staff dining rooms replaced by large food and coffee bar. In addition, outside the map there adding some outdoor seats and also barbecue room built near of the left side entrance . However, kitchen or toilets in the same place.
On the left hand site, there was a serving area room transformed into hotmeals center, while a salad bar was installed along the western wall.
In addition, a barbecue room was introduced in the southeast corner near of the left entrance. Moreover, tables and chairs are still in the place. Although, the kitchen and toilets in the same location.
Following the renovation, on the right hand site there are several changes such as staff dining rooms was demolished and replaced with two big rooms which is called food and coffee bar. Furthermore, the ordinary bin was converted into recycling bins near the entrance near the door. Finally, The most external changes was the addition of a spacious outdoor seating area along the southern side of the café, substantially increasing its capacity for customers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the removal of staff dining rooms and the addition of the outdoor seating area. However, the report lacks a clear, cohesive overview. While you mention some changes, the summary is fragmented and lacks a professional tone. You successfully identified the key areas of change, but the description of the layout is sometimes confusing, such as the repetitive mention of the 'left entrance' and the inconsistent naming of areas. To improve, ensure your overview clearly synthesises the most significant trends rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical flow is hindered by repetitive phrasing and some awkward transitions. For example, the use of 'In addition' and 'Moreover' is somewhat mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'tables and chairs are still in the place', which does not specify where. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes clearly. Improving the use of cohesive devices to link sentences more naturally would enhance the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'demolished', 'converted', and 'spacious'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'near of the left side entrance' (should be 'near the left entrance') and 'on the left hand site' (should be 'side'). The repetition of basic words like 'room' and 'place' limits the sophistication of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and architectural changes, and ensure correct preposition usage.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'staff dining rooms was demolished' and 'The most external changes was'. Additionally, there are issues with sentence fragments and punctuation, such as 'Although, the kitchen and toilets in the same location.' These errors occur frequently, though they do not usually impede the reader's understanding of the main points. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for basic sentence structure will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.