Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 below indicates how certain areas of cafe in a college have been redesigned by making changes at miniature.

To begin with, no change can be seen in the area of kitchen, however, serving area which was near to kitchen has been replaced by the name hot meals. In the west of the plan, salad bar is added so that healthy food can be put as a priority.

Furthermore, two places named take away food and coffee bar is added by replacing staff dining area. The space of bin has increased by double now. No changes are observed in toilets space. Moreover, A very unique place is allocated for barbecue with outside sitting area.

Thus, the college has tried its best to change the look of the area by adding and replacing certain necessary items.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified some key features of the cafe redesign, the description is quite brief and lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes. For instance, you mention specific additions like the salad bar and barbecue area, but you do not provide a cohesive summary of the overall transformation of the space. To improve, ensure you include a clear introductory sentence that paraphrases the prompt and a concluding overview that highlights the main trends or shifts in the layout. The current length prevents a fully developed response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' to link your points. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, and the transitions between sentences could be smoother. The final paragraph is very brief and does not effectively synthesize the information presented. To improve, focus on grouping related information more logically and using a wider variety of linking words to connect your observations about the 'before' and 'after' states more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'no change can be seen' and 'is added'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'making changes at miniature' and 'the space of bin has increased by double'. To improve, try to use more descriptive verbs and nouns related to spatial changes, such as 'expanded', 'relocated', 'converted', or 'transformed'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you describe the visual data with greater accuracy and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that affect the flow, such as 'area of cafe' (missing article), 'near to kitchen' (should be 'near the kitchen'), and 'two places named take away food and coffee bar is added' (subject-verb agreement error). Additionally, 'A very unique' is grammatically incorrect as 'unique' is an absolute adjective and should not be modified by 'very'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for these small errors will significantly enhance the clarity of your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.