Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05
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 map illustrates college cafe layout after renovation.
Overall, there are few changes in the new layout which is addition of new food counters and outdoor seating for students .The new cafe layout provide more space for dine with new food counters .
Before renovation cafe have a staff dining room which is now takeaway food counter and coffee bar. On the top right corner kitchen remains same but the serving area is changed with hot meals and original bin on the left side of cafe entry replaced with recycling bins and toilets are remain same at their original location.
After renovation there is few new addition in cafe new layout which is outdoor seating area for students which will give experience of outdoor dine in college campus also there is a new barbecue and salad bar food counter in new cafe layout for students therefore students now enjoy healthy and tasty food with good space.
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 renovation, such as the new food counters and the outdoor seating area. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention the addition of new counters and seating, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is occasionally muddled. For instance, the description of the kitchen and serving area is a bit confusing, and the report would benefit from a more structured approach to comparing the specific changes in layout. To improve, ensure you clearly group features and provide a more concise summary of the overall transformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and a lack of varied cohesive devices. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures, which makes the flow feel mechanical. While you use some transition words like 'after renovation' and 'therefore', the connection between ideas is often weak. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as when discussing the 'serving area' or the 'original bin'. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensuring that each sentence builds logically upon the previous one to create a smoother narrative.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You use phrases like 'new cafe layout' and 'food counter' multiple times, which limits the sophistication of your writing. There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'give experience of outdoor dine' instead of 'provide an outdoor dining experience'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', 'adjacent to', or 'spacious', and avoid repeating the same nouns and verbs throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding articles ('the' is often missing) and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'cafe have', 'toilets are remain'). The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some missing spaces after periods and unnecessary spaces before them. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that verbs agree with their subjects, and using articles correctly. Incorporating more complex structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, would also help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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