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 illustrates the changes in layout of a college cafe before and after its renovation.

Overall, the cafe has become more convenient and modern. The most noticeable changes include additional outdoor seating with distinct food areas and recycling bins.

Before the redesign the cafeteria includes a main seating hall with tables and chairs with a kitchen at the top left corner in front of which is a serving area for all food and drink. Moreover, there is also staff dining rooms along the northern wall with toilets at the bottom right corner of the hall. There is also a bin alongside the entrance wall.

After the redesign the kitchen and toilets retained at the same locations while the serving area has been upgraded to hot meals zone. Furthermore, the staff dining rooms have been replaced by a take away food and a coffee bar. Additionally, the seating area has been reconfigured with additional seating outside the cafe with a barbecue area at the western side. Finally, the waste bin is replaced by recycling bins and a salad bar exactly at the opposite. The entrance has also been upgraded for the feasibility of outdoor customers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the cafe redesign, including the structural changes and the addition of new facilities. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with specific details from the diagrams. To reach a higher band, ensure you make more direct comparisons between the 'before' and 'after' states rather than just listing features. For example, instead of stating the kitchen remained in the same location, you could highlight how the surrounding space was repurposed to accommodate the new coffee bar. Overall, you covered all parts of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Your essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the progression of information flows more naturally between sentences. Paragraphing is used appropriately, which helps the reader follow the development of the changes from the original layout to the renovated one.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'reconfigured', 'retained', and 'upgraded'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'feasibility of outdoor customers', which is not the most natural way to express the idea of accessibility or convenience. You attempt to use specific terminology related to the cafe layout, which is good. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that your vocabulary choices are consistently natural in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips. For instance, 'the kitchen and toilets retained at the same locations' should be passive ('were retained'), and 'at the opposite' is an awkward phrasing for 'opposite the salad bar'. Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and prepositions throughout the text. Increasing your control over complex sentence structures and proofreading for small grammatical inaccuracies will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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