Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 two maps compare the the layout of prior and subsequent recent refurbishment of an institute's cafe and the way it is developed now.

Overall, the cafe has undergone significant modernization. The most notable feature is the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue area. However, another feature is upgrading the salad bar at the left side of the cafe.

Regarding the earlier design, the serving area which offered all kinds of foods and beverages is now replaced by the hot meals at the top left side of the cafe. Similarly, the two staff dinning rooms have been replaced by take away food and coffee bar. In addition to this, the salad bar is added at the left side of the cafe.

Turning to the right side of the cafe, the restrooms and recycle bins remain at the same place showing no change. While the most significant transformation is the addition of a barbecue area at the bottom left side of the cafe and a spacious outdoor seating for students an staff. Lastly, the central tables and chairs remained in there original position.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign well. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the addition of the barbecue area and outdoor seating, and noted the areas that remained unchanged. However, the report could be improved by providing a more precise overview of the spatial shifts. For instance, stating that the serving area was 'replaced' is accurate, but describing the flow of the new layout more clearly would enhance the analysis. You have addressed all parts of the prompt, and the information is logically selected to provide a clear summary of the transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'Regarding', 'Similarly', and 'Turning to' to guide the reader through the different sections of the cafe. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more balanced. For example, the second body paragraph is quite dense compared to the first. Improving the variety of linking phrases and ensuring that each paragraph has a distinct focus would help move this into a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'refurbishment', 'modernization', and 'transformation' effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'staff dinning rooms' (should be 'dining') and 'in there original position' (should be 'their'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. Attempting to use more specific descriptive language regarding the layout would strengthen this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the the layout' (repetition), 'is added' (tense inconsistency when describing a past change), and 'for students an staff' (missing 'and'). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on proofreading for small errors like articles, prepositions, and subject-verb agreement, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures.

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

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