Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The provided maps illustrate the college cafe before its redesigned and how it looks in present.
Overall, it is vivid that there are several amenities added in the cafeteria. While, the serving area and staff dining rooms were demolished.
Having a fleeting glance, the cafe before redesign there was a kitchen in north west side cafe and attached with serving area all foods and drinks were available there. Whereas, staff dining rooms were situated in north side of the cafe and the customers enter from east side of cafe. Moreover, the tables and chairs for customers were settle in center of cafe and the toilets for customer were in south east side of cafe and a bin also near the toilets to throw the garbage.
Probing further, in present time the cafe is fully developed the serving area converted into hot meals. While, there are two entrances introduced in south side of cafe and a barbecue build in south west side of cafe. Moreover, the outdoor seating also added in south of cafe and the staff dining rooms are converted into take away food and coffee bar. The salad bar constructed in south side of cafe.
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, identifying key changes such as the removal of the serving area and the addition of new facilities like the barbecue and outdoor seating. However, the overview is slightly weak; 'it is vivid' is an unnatural phrasing, and the summary could be more comprehensive by highlighting the overall transformation from a single-purpose space to a more varied, multi-functional layout. While the main features are reported, the comparison between the two plans is somewhat mechanical, and some details, such as the specific locations of the new salad bar or the two entrances, could be integrated more smoothly into a comparative narrative rather than just listing them.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the 'before' to the 'after' state. However, the use of cohesive devices is often awkward or incorrect. For example, 'Having a fleeting glance' is an inappropriate way to introduce a paragraph in an academic report, and 'Probing further' is also stylistically unsuitable for a task 1 description. The transition between sentences is sometimes disjointed, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, making the flow feel mechanical rather than natural. More varied and precise linking words would improve the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate to describe the changes, using terms like 'demolished', 'converted', and 'amenities'. However, there are several instances of inaccurate word choice and collocation. For example, 'before its redesigned' should be 'before its redesign', 'settle in center' should be 'situated in the centre', and 'barbecue build' should be 'barbecue was built'. These errors, while not impeding communication, show a lack of precision. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands, relying on repetitive structures to describe the locations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include incorrect verb forms ('before its redesigned'), missing articles ('in north west side'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('tables and chairs... were settle'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning remains clear, the frequency of these errors is noticeable and prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing past and present states.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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