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 plans illustrate a college cafe before it was rebuilt and how it looks now. Overall, before there wasn't outdoor seating area, and now there are huge visible seating area available. Some other point exchanged and some new areas are located. Before the redesigned the kitchen was located in the top-left corner in front of serving area. The tables and chair were taken lot of places in the centre. Moreover, the staff dining room were showed in two attached building in the centre of upper-right side. While the toilet and a bin were located in on the right-hand side. Today, the cafe shows the kitchen on the same place and hot meals replaced by serving area. Furthermore, the staff dining rooms now became two different separate rooms such as take away food, and coffee bar. Tables and chairs are still in the centre, but they added huge outdoor seating area. While toilets still on same point and they added bigger recycling bins area on right side. There are also two new building added one is barbecue and other is salad bar on different locations.
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, including the addition of outdoor seating and new service areas. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, stating 'some other point exchanged' is vague and lacks the precision required for a high band. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'now' states could be more analytical. The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the most significant changes. To improve, focus on grouping features logically (e.g., structural changes vs. functional changes) and using more precise comparative language to highlight the scale of the transformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'While the toilet and a bin were located in on the right-hand side.' Some transitions between sentences feel forced or repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of the staff dining rooms. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the flow of the report significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. There are several instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'taken lot of places' instead of 'occupied a significant area' and 'showed in two attached building' instead of 'housed in two adjacent structures.' The repetition of basic verbs like 'added' and 'located' limits the range. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise descriptive vocabulary related to spatial layout and architectural changes, such as 'relocated,' 'transformed,' 'adjacent,' and 'situated.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'before there wasn't outdoor seating area' (missing articles), 'staff dining room were showed' (subject-verb agreement), and 'toilets still on same point' (missing verb). Punctuation is generally functional, but the misuse of articles and prepositions is persistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles (a/an/the) when describing specific areas of the floor plan.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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