Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The maps provide information about the changes that have happened in the college cafe. Overall, the cafe was traditional and simple before outdoor seating and more food courts were added, which have made the place more convenient for customers.

Looking at the left part, a salad bar has been added to the left side of the cafe. The kitchen has remained the same, while the serving area has been replaced with a hot meals area. A new barbecue area has been created to the outside of the college cafe, which also is located near a new door.

At the right side, two staff dining rooms have been completely reconstructed and have become take-away food and coffee bar sections. The bin has been removed and bigger recycling bins have been added in front of the toilets. In addition, a new door has been installed next to those toilets. In the outdoor part of the cafe, an outdoor seating area have been inserted, which makes the place more visitor friendly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers the main features of the cafe redesign. You have successfully identified the key changes, such as the addition of the salad bar, the conversion of the dining rooms, and the introduction of outdoor seating. The overview provides a clear summary of the transformation. To reach a higher band, ensure you avoid subjective commentary like 'more convenient' or 'visitor friendly,' as Task 1 requires an objective report of the data provided in the diagrams. Additionally, while you mention the kitchen remains the same, highlighting more specific spatial relationships (e.g., the relative position of the new door to the barbecue area) would further enhance the clarity of your report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction followed by body paragraphs that group information by the left and right sides of the cafe. This structure makes the information easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'Looking at the left part,' 'At the right side,' and 'In addition' to guide the reader through the changes. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task. To improve, ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother; some sentences feel slightly list-like. Using a wider variety of linking words to connect the before and after states would strengthen the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'reconstructed,' 'installed,' and 'removed.' The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the context of describing a floor plan. However, there is some repetition of basic verbs like 'added' and 'created.' To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise synonyms or collocations related to architectural changes, such as 'converted into,' 'relocated,' or 'expanded.' The current range is sufficient for the task but lacks the sophistication required for the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear, there are a few grammatical slips, such as 'an outdoor seating area have been inserted' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'which also is located' (awkward word order). The use of passive voice is appropriate for this type of task, but ensure consistency in tense usage when describing the changes. Most errors do not impede communication, but more consistent control over subject-verb agreement and complex sentence construction would elevate the score.

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

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