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 following map illustrate the college canteen it was reconstructed and how it looks now.
overall, The map depicts the changes made to college canteen in contrast to how it was before redesign how it looks now.
The college cafe before redesign was constructed in small area with less amenities like there was not an appropriate seating area. People of modern society always prefer outdoor seating area to eat meal along their lived ones. Whereas the redesigned cafe presents a modern infrastructure and modern look. The significant noticeable change in the new cafe is more amenities like new separate bars for serving salad and coffee. However, take away is also the most demanding service which could bring ease to the customers. The outdoor seating area looks amazing where people can enjoy their meal in an open environment, In Disparity to the old cafe the new one brought many changes and amenities including the use of modern technology for instance recycle bin.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to adequately describe the visual information provided. Instead of focusing on the spatial changes, such as the relocation of the counter, the addition of seating areas, or the removal of specific walls, the essay relies on subjective commentary about 'modern society' and 'amazing' environments. The task requires a factual summary of the plans, but the student provides personal opinions and irrelevant generalisations. Key features, such as the specific layout changes, are largely ignored or described in vague terms. Consequently, the response does not fully address the requirements of an Academic Task 1 report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay lacks a clear logical progression. While there is an attempt at an introduction and a body, the paragraphing is underdeveloped, and the transition between ideas is often abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, but they are frequently misused or awkward, such as 'In Disparity to the old cafe' and 'Whereas the redesigned cafe presents a modern infrastructure'. The overall structure feels disjointed because the information is not grouped by logical themes (e.g., layout, facilities, seating), making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two plans.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and often inappropriate for a formal report. Phrases like 'People of modern society' and 'amazing' are too informal and subjective for an Academic Task 1 response. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'constructed in small area' (should be 'occupied a small area') and 'less amenities' (should be 'fewer amenities'). The student attempts to use some descriptive language, but the lack of precision in describing the physical changes to the cafe limits the effectiveness of the communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'The following map illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'the new one brought' (should be 'brings'). There are also punctuation issues, such as the comma splice in 'The outdoor seating area looks amazing where people can enjoy their meal in an open environment, In Disparity to the old cafe'. Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. The control of articles and prepositions is also weak throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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