Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The maps illustrate the changes in a college café before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Overall, it is clear that the cafe underwent major changes, with new areas for food parcel and coffee bar. In addition, two new areas were designed for BBQ and salad bar, while the most noticeable development was the addition of a new outdoor seating area for the people.

Previously, there was a serving area for all food and drinks inside the kitchen, which was replaced with only hot meals. Moreover, there were two separate staff dining rooms in the main hall which were converted into a food take away area and a coffee bar respectively.

On the left side of the indoor dining area, a new salad bar was constructed while on the extreme right side of the indoor hall, new additional recycling bins were placed. However, the toilets besides the trash bins area remained the same.

Lastly, the design of the cafe involved the construction of a barbecue area and outdoor seating area for students which was on the left side of the cafe building, accessible through the doors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of the BBQ area, outdoor seating, and the conversion of the staff rooms. You successfully identified the main changes and made relevant comparisons between the 'before' and 'now' states. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant developments, which is essential for a high band score. To improve further, ensure that all spatial descriptions are precise; for instance, mentioning the specific location of the new salad bar relative to the entrance or other features would provide a more comprehensive summary of the layout changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The report is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by area or function. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader through the changes. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas throughout the text. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive links and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'which was on the left side') consistently points clearly to the intended feature.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redesigned', 'converted', and 'constructed' appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'food parcel' (likely meaning 'takeaway') and 'the people' (which is redundant). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Incorporating more specific collocations related to architectural changes or spatial layout would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'toilets besides the trash bins area' (should be 'beside') and 'food parcel' (which is not a standard noun phrase in this context). Punctuation is generally accurate, but some phrasing is slightly awkward. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using more varied complex structures, such as passive voice constructions to describe the changes (e.g., 'The staff rooms were converted into...').

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

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