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 diagram demonstrates the plan of the cafe and the changes after redesigning it the previous outline.

Generally, there was a huge transformation after the cafe's redesign from the previous outline to a current one. It also shows some additional parts of the cafe that a generally new.

The internal part of the previous cafe portrays that the kitchen, toilets and bins remained the same as of today's cafe design. However, the staff dining rooms have been switched to a take away food room on the left and the coffee bar on the right, and also the salad bar was built at the left side end of the cafe, the serving area has been changed to a hot meals site.

In contrast, the external part of the cafe had also depicted some few additional changes such as the outdoor seatings and a new bathroom constructed at the end of cafe's building and the access doors were newly constructed for the external area accessibility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the cafe redesign, identifying both internal and external changes. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks precision. For instance, stating 'the kitchen, toilets and bins remained the same' is accurate, but the report would benefit from more specific spatial references (e.g., 'the kitchen remains in the top-left corner'). The overview is present but slightly vague. To reach a higher band, you should focus on grouping information more logically and ensuring that all key changes—such as the removal of the staff dining room—are clearly contrasted with the new additions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Generally', 'However', and 'In contrast'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. The referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, 'the previous outline' is used repeatedly, which makes the flow feel a bit repetitive. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the logical progression of your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'transformation', 'redesign', and 'constructed'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'hot meals site' is not a natural way to describe a serving area, and 'external area accessibility' is slightly awkward. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for architectural or layout features, such as 'counter', 'seating area', or 'relocated'. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band.

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 'a generally new' (should be 'generally new') and 'the cafe had also depicted some few additional changes' (tense and article usage issues). There are also minor punctuation and preposition errors throughout. While these errors do not prevent communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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