Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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.

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

maps give a information about how college cafe look like befor and after redevelopment.

Overall, the outdoor seating area, coffee bar, salad bar and bathroom are added in new plans on the other hand kitchen tables and chairs placement also toilets are remain same place as they are before.

first of all we can see that on the left upper corner serving area is changing with hot meals. Moreover, staffe dining rooms are replace with take away food and coffes bar.

in new cafe setting the salad bar is added.

The major change of new map is there is outdoor seatting arengment available also there is one bathroom made. in seatting are there are several tables and chairs available. To add on more in right and ledt lower corner have new door for entry and exit. And thr bin is replace with recycling bins on the right side of college cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a general overview of the changes, identifying key additions like the outdoor seating and salad bar. However, the report lacks a clear, professional structure. While it mentions the main features, the description of the layout is somewhat disjointed and lacks precise spatial referencing (e.g., 'left upper corner' is vague). The summary of what remained the same is present but could be more clearly contrasted with the changes. To improve, ensure you group information logically—perhaps by comparing the 'before' and 'after' states more systematically—and provide a more comprehensive overview that highlights the most significant transformations rather than listing them in a fragmented manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into paragraphs, but the internal flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as 'first of all' and 'to add on more'. The progression of ideas is not always logical; for example, jumping between the seating area, the bathroom, and the doors makes the description difficult to follow. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the text feel like a list of observations rather than a cohesive report. Improving the use of transition signals and ensuring each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, often relying on simple descriptors like 'added', 'change', and 'new'. There are several spelling errors, such as 'staffe', 'coffes', 'seatting', 'arengment', and 'ledt', which distract the reader. The range of vocabulary is limited to the immediate context of the task, with little attempt to use more precise or academic terminology to describe the layout or the nature of the changes. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more varied verbs and nouns related to spatial changes, such as 'transformed', 'relocated', 'expanded', or 'converted', and ensure accurate spelling throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('a information', 'the salad bar is added'), subject-verb agreement ('toilets are remain'), and sentence structure (e.g., 'maps give a information about how college cafe look like'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. Complex sentence attempts are often faulty or lack proper punctuation. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct verb tenses and the appropriate use of articles, before attempting more complex grammatical structures.

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

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