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 illustrates, cafe of a college before it was redesigned and how it looks now. We can clearly see the before and after construction designs of the cafe.
Earlier, we have kitchen and serving area which includes all food and drinks located in the north west corner. Moreover, staff dinning rooms are present in the middle. Below it, tables and chairs are situated and in the right of it a bin is placed beneath it toilets are positioned. Let's talk about the structure of cafe after redesigned, we have hot meals section in the north west side. In the middle, take away food and coffee bar has been established. Below it's right, recycling bin is in use. On it's left, sealed bar is present. Moreover, below the sealed bar barbecue section is located with an outdoor seating.
To summarise this, today's model has many changes compared to the recent model; however, the placement of kitchen, tables, chairs and toilets are on the same direction.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying key changes such as the addition of the barbecue section and the coffee bar. However, the summary is somewhat inaccurate in its analysis; for instance, the claim that the kitchen, tables, and toilets remain in the same direction is not fully supported by the visual evidence, as the layout has undergone significant reconfiguration. The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the most striking changes. To improve, focus on grouping related features (e.g., seating areas vs. service areas) rather than listing items individually, and ensure the comparison between the two plans is more precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into three paragraphs, which is appropriate for this task. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as 'Below it's right' and 'On it's left'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial layout of the cafe. To reach a higher band, use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences and ensure that spatial descriptions are precise and easy to follow, rather than relying on repetitive directional phrases.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'below', 'middle', and 'side'. Some word choices are unnatural, such as 'sealed bar' (likely referring to a salad bar) and 'today's model'. There are also minor errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'staff dinning rooms' (dining) and 'in the same direction' (location). To improve, incorporate more specific vocabulary related to floor plans and spatial arrangements, and ensure accurate spelling and word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the cafe', 'a college'), prepositions, and possessives ('it's' used instead of 'its'). Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent, such as 'we have kitchen' instead of 'there was a kitchen'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure often feels disjointed. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically the use of articles and correct possessive forms, and try to vary sentence length to improve the flow of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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