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 given floor plan demonstrates the changes college cafe went through during the process of redesign.

Overall, in redesign - the single serving area catering all the varieties of food items and drinks have been separated into specific serving areas. An outdoor seating has been established to increase the capacity of the cafe.

In older design there was only single serving area which was used to serve all kind of food items and beverages. In re-modeling serving areas are distinguished for each kind of food item, old staff dining rooms are now converted to coffee bar and take-away food counters. A new salad bar has been added on the left side of the cafe.

An outdoor seating has been established to increase the dining capacity of the cafe along with designated barbecue station right next to it. Previous bins are now replaced with recycling bins; while keeping kitchen and toilets in the same place as before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the cafe redesign, such as the transition from a single serving area to specialized counters and the addition of outdoor seating. The overview provides a clear summary of the primary changes. However, the report could be improved by including more specific comparative data or spatial references (e.g., mentioning the relocation of the entrance or the specific orientation of the new features). While the key changes are covered, the description of the 'old staff dining rooms' being converted is a good detail, but the overall analysis remains somewhat descriptive rather than analytical. It addresses all parts of the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the general layout to specific functional changes. Cohesive devices such as 'In older design', 'In re-modeling', and 'along with' are used to link ideas. However, the use of articles is occasionally inconsistent (e.g., 'In older design' should be 'In the older design'), and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body paragraphs, contributing to a clear overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes with reasonable precision. Terms like 'redesign', 're-modeling', 'designated', and 'capacity' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'catering all the varieties' (should be 'catering to all varieties') and 'In older design' (missing article). While the range is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the more sophisticated or varied lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. The vocabulary is functional but not particularly ambitious.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly regarding article usage ('the single serving area', 'In older design') and prepositional phrasing. For example, 'catering all the varieties' is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The sentence structure is generally clear, but the control over complex grammatical forms is inconsistent. Improving the accuracy of articles and prepositions would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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

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