Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-06
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 given picture illustrates the information of the collage cafe before and after redesigned. in the old building there is no much more unused empty space located, also there is not even distributed place where students can take food of their choice. the old cafe only has kitchen area, the single service area for different kind of food variety, in the middle area where the sitting arrangement for eating in the lunch period, and also has a separate staff dining rooms, one toilet and bins.
on the contrary the new redesigned cafe is look esthetic and well maintained and well managed. the designer of the cafe also expand the size of the cafe. in the top area the kitchen attached with the hot meals counter, on the west side there is a new counter for salad, in same line there is also a new counter for barbecue food. the sitting arrangement is totally changed instead of in the cafe the new sitting area located in the outside are. they also add takeaway food center, coffee bar and recycling bins.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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 plans, identifying the key changes such as the expansion of the kitchen, the addition of new counters, and the relocation of seating. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, it mentions the kitchen and counters but lacks precise detail regarding the layout changes or the specific removal of the staff dining room. The overview is also missing; a Band 6 or 7 response should clearly summarise the most significant overall change (e.g., the transition from an indoor-focused layout to one with outdoor seating and specialized food stations). The response is a bit descriptive rather than analytical.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into two paragraphs, which is appropriate for this task. However, the flow of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as 'in the middle area where the sitting arrangement for eating in the lunch period'. The transition between the old and new layout is clear, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks sophisticated linking. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the progression of information feels like a list of features rather than a cohesive summary of the changes.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of unnatural phrasing, such as 'no much more unused empty space' and 'is look esthetic'. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with accurate collocations. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the range is limited, and there are errors in word choice that occasionally make the text feel repetitive or slightly confusing. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions and design changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('the new redesigned cafe is look'), missing articles ('in the middle area where the sitting arrangement'), and incorrect preposition usage ('located in the outside are'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent and demonstrate a lack of control over basic sentence construction. The punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas that hinder readability.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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