Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
The given maps illustrate the information about how the college cafe was before redesign and the variations which have taken place after being renovated.
Overall, it can be clearly noticed that the college cafe has undergone numerous transformations. The main key changes which have taken place after the reconstruction are development of outdoor seating and installing the barbecue area.
To begin with, there was a serving area located in the north-western side of the cafe, which has been replaced with a hot meals area. A salad bar has been installed in the western direction. By demolishing staff dining rooms, a coffee bar and a take-away food area has been constructed. The bin located in the eastern side has now been reconfigured into a recycling bin.
Furthermore, a barbecue has been developed outside the cafeteria in the south-west corner. An outdoor sitting area has been installed in the southern side with total five sittings.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The candidate successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the main features and making relevant comparisons between the two plans. The introduction accurately paraphrases the prompt, and the overview highlights the most significant changes, such as the addition of outdoor seating and the barbecue area. Body paragraphs detail specific transformations, such as the serving area being replaced with a hot meals area and the staff dining rooms being converted into a coffee bar and take-away food area. While the description of locations is generally accurate, mentioning 'total five sittings' is slightly awkward, but the overall task is well covered with clear selection of data, earning a band score of 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is organized logically with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a spatial progression from inside to outside the cafe. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'which have been replaced' are used to connect ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the cafe layout. Referencing is generally clear, for example, linking the bin on the eastern side to its new configuration as a recycling bin. While the flow is mostly smooth, greater variety in cohesive devices would elevate the score further, placing this firmly at a band 6.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms related to architectural and layout changes, such as 'redesigned', 'renovated', 'reconstruction', 'demolishing', and 'reconfigured'. There are attempts at less common vocabulary items, though some collocations and word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'total five sittings' instead of 'five seats' or 'seating for five'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. The lexical range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly, justifying a band score of 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses like 'which has been replaced with a hot meals area' and passive voice constructions like 'has been installed'. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'how the college cafe was before redesign' missing an article or noun, and 'variations which have taken place after being renovated' having a dangling modifier. However, these errors rarely impede communication, and the majority of sentences are understandable. Control of punctuation and basic grammar is reasonably good, warranting a band score of 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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