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 diagram compares plans before redesign and after it.
Overall, cafe has became more complex place with more variants of food. The most noticeable change is that there are tables and chairs inside and outside of cafe.
First of all, there are two more entrance from the toilet and parallel side of it. Kitchen and toilets are the only places which witnessed no changes. Besides, serving area is no more where customers can buy all food and drink. Now there will be only how meals.
Moreover, bin got upgraded with more size and renamed as a recycling bins. Salad bar installed on the left side of cafe. In contrast, near to the tables and chairs outside of cafe have barbecue. Lastly, two boxes of staff dining rooms was taken by other places. On the left, take away food area and opposite to it coffee bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some key features of the redesign, such as the new entrances, the salad bar, and the coffee bar, the description is somewhat fragmented. You have missed some important details, such as the relocation of the entrance or the specific layout changes to the seating areas. The overview is present but lacks sufficient detail to fully capture the extent of the transformation. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the main trends and changes, and always aim to exceed the minimum word count to allow for full development of your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. You use some cohesive devices like 'First of all', 'Moreover', and 'In contrast', but these are occasionally used mechanically or inappropriately, such as 'In contrast, near to the tables and chairs outside of cafe have barbecue'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to visualize the changes described. To improve, focus on using transition words that logically connect your sentences and ensure that your descriptions of the layout are clear and easy to follow for someone who cannot see the original diagram.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'more complex place' and 'more variants of food'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'how meals' (likely meaning 'hot meals') and 'two boxes of staff dining rooms was taken'. To improve, try to use more specific vocabulary related to spatial descriptions, such as 'adjacent to', 'situated in the corner', or 'undergone a significant transformation'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you convey the changes more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'cafe has became' (should be 'has become'), 'there are two more entrance' (should be 'entrances'), and 'bin got upgraded' (should be 'the bin was upgraded'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly the use of articles ('the' cafe) and correct verb tenses when describing changes. Proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb forms will help you achieve a higher level of accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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