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 plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks after the interior redesign.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the area of the cafe has been expanded to create enough space for dining. In the upgraded cafe, the kitchen will stay unchanged, but the serving area will be replaced by a hot meals section. In the left middle, a new salad bar will be constructed, and the staff dining rooms will be replaced by the takeaway room and a coffee bar. Moreover, the toilets will be unchanged, whereas the bin will be expanded.
A barbecue section will be built on the left side of the outdoor area, and some tables will be arranged for students. Although there is no area for the cafe, it will create a huge area to sit for meals. In addition, two doors will be create for entering outdoor section.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task well by identifying the main features and making comparisons between the two plans. You correctly note that the kitchen remains unchanged while the serving area is replaced by a hot meals section, and you successfully describe the new additions such as the salad bar, coffee bar, and outdoor barbecue section. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the visual data; for instance, you state that 'the kitchen will stay unchanged', whereas the plans indicate changes to the counter layout within the kitchen area, and you mention that 'two doors will be create for entering outdoor section', missing some nuances of the entrances. Despite these minor misinterpretations, the overview is clear and the main spatial changes are well highlighted, satisfying the requirements for this band level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction that includes an overview sentence ('Overall, it can be clearly seen that...'). Information is organized logically, moving from the interior changes to the outdoor modifications. Cohesive devices such as 'In the left middle', 'moreover', and 'whereas' are used to connect ideas, though referencing is occasionally mechanical. Paragraphing is utilized, though grouping all interior details into a single dense paragraph could be improved by separating the counter changes from the seating and facility changes. Progression is generally logical, guiding the reader effectively from the original layout to the redesigned plan.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully attempting less common items related to architectural changes and campus amenities, such as 'redesigned', 'expanded', 'constructed', and 'barbecue section'. There are some awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'the left middle' (instead of the middle-left area) and 'area for the cafe' when referring to the seating space. Spelling is generally accurate, but there are lexical inaccuracies that slightly reduce precision. Nevertheless, the range of vocabulary allows the main features of the diagram to be communicated effectively without hindering the reader's understanding.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'In the upgraded cafe, the kitchen will stay unchanged, but the serving area will be replaced by a hot meals section.' There are instances of grammatical errors, most notably the passive voice error 'two doors will be create' instead of 'created', and tense inconsistency when describing static diagrams using future tense ('the kitchen will stay unchanged') rather than present simple or present perfect. However, punctuation is generally correct, and these errors rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the descriptions of the cafe's layout quite easily.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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