Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-09
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 image depicts the current plan of a college cafe and before redesigning.
Overall, there are 26 more seats were, added, and the area of the cafe increased in size.
To commence with, kitchen is in the top of the left side of the cafe, and there is a serving area also. Staff dining was in the middle of the main hall, near there were tables and chairs were settled and a toilet in the right corner of the hall near there a small bin was situated for the people use before cafe redesigning.
Furthermore, after redesigning kitchen is in the same spot as usual. Serving area was removed by hot meals, and a salad bar was added near the hot meals area, staff dining was changed by food takeaway and a coffee bar also constructed. In outer area of the cafe a barbecue has been provided along with 5 new table and 26 chairs in it.
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, such as the addition of the salad bar and the outdoor area. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention the increase in seating, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states is occasionally confusing due to grammatical inaccuracies. For example, stating 'serving area was removed by hot meals' is unclear. To improve, ensure you clearly contrast the layout changes rather than just listing them. The summary is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant transformations, such as the shift from a staff dining area to a takeaway and coffee bar.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the original layout to the redesigned one. However, the use of cohesive devices is often awkward or repetitive. Phrases like 'To commence with' and 'Furthermore' are used, but the internal linking within sentences is frequently broken by poor syntax. For instance, 'near there were tables and chairs were settled' is confusing and lacks proper referencing. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns or linking words clearly connect the ideas would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the cafe's features, such as 'kitchen', 'salad bar', and 'coffee bar'. However, there is a lack of precision and some awkward word choices that hinder clarity. Phrases like 'settled' to describe furniture placement and 'changed by' are not natural collocations in this context. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to spatial descriptions, such as 'relocated', 'replaced', 'installed', or 'expanded', rather than relying on basic verbs that do not accurately convey the changes made to the floor plan.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'there are 26 more seats were, added', and awkward sentence structures like 'Serving area was removed by hot meals'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and missing articles. While you attempt to use a mix of simple and some complex structures, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the writing from being consistently clear. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice for describing layout changes would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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