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 plans illustrate the after and before redesigned of the college cafeteria. Overall, the designed has changed at greater extent and many other services are included like take away, salad bar and outdoor sitting area.
It is quite evident form the plan before redesigned that the cafe has one entrance and few services available. The structure of the cafeteria was so basic it has kitchen exactly at the back of serving area and a sitting in the mid of cafe while staff dinning is on the top of the sitting place and a toilets at the left of the entrance.
However, after redesigned in the structure there's further services added. For example the staff dinning areas were converted to the take away facility and coffee bar was also included. Additionally, the salad bar is also included beneath hot meals which were initially used for serving all type of foods in the previous design. Furthermore, the setting area has extended and outdoor seats are also installed while the bins remain same on the previous place.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the new services and the expansion of the seating area. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. While you mention the addition of a take-away facility and salad bar, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more precise. For example, describing the kitchen's location as 'exactly at the back' is a bit informal. To improve, ensure you group information logically to highlight the transformation rather than just listing features. The overview is present but could be more detailed regarding the overall layout shift.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for this task. You use some cohesive devices like 'However', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'after redesigned in the structure there's further services added'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the progression of ideas could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next without mechanical repetition of sentence structures.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'cafeteria', 'facility', and 'installed'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'before redesigned' instead of 'before the redesign' and 'sitting in the mid' instead of 'seating in the middle'. The phrase 'at greater extent' is also non-standard. To improve, focus on using nouns and adjectives more accurately and avoid repeating the same words. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise descriptive terms for spatial layouts would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and word forms, such as 'the designed has changed' (should be 'the design') and 'staff dinning' (should be 'staff dining'). There are also issues with articles and prepositions, for example, 'a toilets' and 'on the top of the sitting place'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of tenses when describing changes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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