Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The map compares the changes in layout of a college cafe before and after its renovation.

Overall, the cafe after the redesign looks more convenient and modern. The major changes include separate food courts with an additional outdoor seating and recycling bins.

The cafe before the redesign includes a main seating area with tables and chairs, a kitchen at the top left corner in front of which includes the serving area for all food and drink. Along the north wall includes two staff dining rooms. Additionally, the toilets are at the right end of the hall with a waste bin along the entrance wall.

After the redesign the kitchen and the toilets remain at the same location while serving area is upgraded to hot meals sector. Furthermore, the staff dinning rooms are replaced by take away food and coffee bar. The seating area is also reconfigured with an additional seating outside the cafe with a barbecue zone. Finally, the waste bin is replaced by recycling bins opposite of which include a salad bar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the addition of the salad bar, barbecue zone, and recycling bins. You have provided a clear overview and compared the 'before' and 'after' states effectively. However, the description of the layout could be more precise; for instance, stating that the kitchen and toilets 'remain at the same location' is accurate, but the spatial relationships (e.g., 'opposite of which include a salad bar') could be described with more clarity to help the reader visualize the changes. Overall, you have covered all parts of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'Additionally,' and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the changes. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, 'opposite of which include a salad bar' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the 'before' and 'after' states, which helps the reader follow the progression of the information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the layout, such as 'reconfigured,' 'renovation,' and 'upgraded.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'food courts' (which is not strictly accurate for a cafe layout) and 'hot meals sector.' Additionally, 'staff dinning rooms' contains a spelling error. While the vocabulary is adequate to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that slightly impede the flow, such as 'in front of which includes the serving area' (incorrect verb agreement) and 'opposite of which include a salad bar' (awkward structure). The use of prepositions and articles is occasionally inconsistent, such as 'with an additional outdoor seating.' Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the response, and the errors do not cause significant confusion for the reader.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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