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 plans given below illustrating the whole image of a college cafe before and after the redesign. The cafe before the redesign was quite with limited space. it shows a main hall area of cafe with tables and chairs used as the sitting area for students. In the right corner of the sitting area there were toilets and a bin in front of toilets. At the upfront of the tables and chairs area there's staff dining rooms and at the left side of it there was the serving area where all kind of food and drinks were served. Behind the serving are there the main kitchen of cafe. Meanwhile the redesigned cafe is much expanded then the old one. Starting from the outside there is an outdoor seating area and at the left of it there is barbecue section. while entering the cafe there is the tables and chairs as the main sitting area. At he left side of it there's a salad bar which is also an addition. at the upfront of tables and chairs there are two new sections now. One is take way food and other one is coffee bar. And at the uper right side of the is hot meals area and behind it there's main kitchen. at the end the right corner there are toilets and recycling bins.
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 all key features of the cafe redesign, including the addition of new facilities like the barbecue section, salad bar, and coffee bar. However, the report lacks a clear overview, which is essential for a Band 7 or higher. The information is presented as a list of locations rather than a comparative analysis of the changes. While the main features are identified, the lack of a summary paragraph that highlights the most significant transformations (such as the expansion of the floor space and the diversification of food services) limits the score. To improve, ensure you provide a clear overview of the main trends observed between the two plans.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized chronologically, moving from the 'before' to the 'after' state. However, the paragraphing is non-existent, as the entire response is written in a single block of text. This makes the text difficult to navigate. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Meanwhile', 'Starting from', 'At the end'), the lack of paragraph breaks significantly hinders the flow. To improve, you should group related information into distinct paragraphs—for example, one for the initial layout and one for the redesigned layout—to create a clearer logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for the description of spatial locations (e.g., 'upfront', 'right corner', 'left side'). However, there is a lack of variety and precision. Phrases like 'all kind of food' and 'the whole image' are slightly unnatural. There are also some spelling errors, such as 'take way' (takeaway) and 'uper' (upper). To reach a higher band, incorporate more precise vocabulary related to spatial changes, such as 'relocated', 'converted', 'extended', or 'incorporated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in front of toilets'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'Behind the serving are there the main kitchen'), and punctuation errors. The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying heavily on 'there is/there are' constructions. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles would significantly improve the clarity of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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