Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12
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 given map illustrates the information of the changes that took places in the past and changes that have taken places in the present time in the college cafe .
To begin with, before redesign, kitchen and serving area was in the North-West corner . Bin was placed near the gate . Toilets were in the South-East side . There was two staff dining room in front of the door . In rest of the area , tables and chairs were placed.
In present time , serving area is replaced by hot meals . Both staff dining rooms were converted into coffee bar and serving area . Salad bar is built in the West side. New outdoor siting is constructed and and barbecue are is built near it .
Overall, it can be clearly seen that many thing has change over the time and key changes are construction of outdoor seating, barbecue and coffee bar.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully addresses the task by summarising the main features of the college cafe before and after the redesign, and includes appropriate comparisons, such as noting how the serving area was replaced by hot meals and how the staff dining rooms were converted. The key features like the outdoor seating, barbecue area, and coffee bar are clearly identified and reported. While the description is somewhat concise, all primary transformations shown on the maps are covered, meeting the requirements of Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is structured with four paragraphs, providing an introduction, two body paragraphs detailing the past and present layouts, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'In present time', and 'Overall', although some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward (e.g., 'In rest of the area'). Paragraphing is generally logical, dividing the past and present features into distinct sections, supporting a coherent overall arrangement that fits Band 6.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting specific terms related to maps and room features such as 'serving area', 'barbecue area', 'coffee bar', and 'salad bar'. However, there are notable lexical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'changes that have taken places in the present time' and 'outdoor siting'. The range is somewhat limited and repetitive, which places this performance firmly at Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical accuracy is quite weak. There are frequent missing articles and pluralisation errors, such as 'before redesign', 'Bin was placed', 'There was two staff dining room', and 'many thing has change over the time'. Punctuation and spacing errors around commas also appear frequently. Because these errors are frequent and noticeable, though they do not completely impede communication, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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