Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08
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 5.0)
The map shows the redesigned of the college cafe before and after the redesignation. there are couple of changes in the college cafe to enhance the experience for the students to sit down in the reses time and enjoy their meals with their friends.
because it is the most precise time for the students to sat down with their friends and spend quality time in the college reses time. their are not many major changes. but the seating aera is now more for the students. before there was only a small hall for the students to sit but now there is a outdoor seating available for the students. beside the outdoor seating new barbecue station is now open to enjoy barbecue. there are 2 new doors being installed 1 near the barbecue station the other one is near the toilets. toilets are in the same place as before.
there is a salad bar installed on the left side in the main hall. fortunately the recycle bin is now bigger than before. the serving area will provide hot meals now. also the staff dining rooms are now transformed into the takeaway food the coffee bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the outdoor seating, the barbecue station, and the internal changes like the salad bar and coffee bar. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for Band 6 and above. The inclusion of irrelevant personal commentary regarding why students sit with friends during 'reses time' (recess) detracts from the academic tone and focus. While the key changes are mentioned, the information is not presented in a structured, analytical way, leading to an under-developed response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The first paragraph contains irrelevant information that does not relate to the visual data. Cohesive devices are used in a very basic and sometimes repetitive manner (e.g., 'there are', 'there is', 'now'). The transition between ideas is often abrupt, and the lack of clear signposting makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states effectively. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall structure lacks the cohesive flow expected at higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on simple structures. There are several instances of word-choice errors and non-standard phrasing, such as 'redesignation' instead of 'redesign' and 'reses time' instead of 'recess' or 'break time'. The use of 'fortunately' is inappropriate in an academic report as it expresses a subjective opinion rather than objective observation. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'their are not many major changes'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'students to sat down'), and punctuation errors, such as missing capital letters at the start of sentences. The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. Complex sentence attempts are rare and often contain errors. The control of basic grammar is inconsistent, which is characteristic of the Band 5 level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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