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 two maps illustrate the layout of college café before and after redesigned.
Overall, after the redesign, the café underwent major changes, including the addition of outdoor seating and a hot-meals section. However, some areas, such as the kitchen and toilets, remained unchanged.
In northern east area, the kitchen remained same, while the serving area ( all food and drink) had changed into a hot meals station. In center, two staffing dining rooms converted into two different station one in take way food and other in coffee bar. In western area bin also changed in large recycling bins, and toilets remain unchanged.
Regarding to addition of new areas, in eastern area, salad bar are newly builded in after redesigned the café. In the out side of café new two doors are build and also added outdoor seating area. Furthermore a barbecue station is added on the out side of the café
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully identifies and reports the main features of the college café before and after the redesign, fulfilling the core requirements of Academic Task 1. An effective overview is provided, noting major additions like outdoor seating alongside unchanged features such as the kitchen and toilets. Key comparisons are made between the former layout and the current one, mentioning the conversion of staff dining rooms into a takeaway food counter and coffee bar, and the addition of a salad bar and barbecue station. Although there are some minor mechanical errors in expressing specific locations, the task is adequately and clearly addressed overall, corresponding well to a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is structured into four paragraphs, including a clear introduction, an overall summary, and two body paragraphs detailing specific spatial changes. There is a logical overall arrangement, moving from general features to specific structural transformations. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes awkward or mechanical, as seen in phrases like 'In northern east area' and 'Regarding to addition of new areas'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and paragraphing could be smoother, but the progression remains understandable throughout, justifying a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms related to architectural layouts and changes, such as 'layout', 'redesigned', 'converted', and 'recycling bins'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'before and after redesigned' (instead of redesign), 'northern east area' (northeastern area), and 'salad bar are newly builded' (built). While these lexical inaccuracies and non-standard forms occasionally distract, they do not impede communication, placing the response firmly in the Band 5.5 to 6.0 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Overall, after the redesign, the café underwent major changes, including the addition of outdoor seating and a hot-meals section.' There are several distinct grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including tense and word form issues like 'the kitchen remained same', 'two different station one in take way', and 'new two doors are build'. Despite these frequent errors, the meaning remains mostly clear and communication is rarely impeded, aligning with the criteria for Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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