Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13
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 maps illustrate the layout of a college cafe in the past and how it looks on the present day.
Overall, it can be seen that the cafe undergo a significant changes. The building is expanded to make a way for outdoor seating. New amenities are introduced and some are replaced by the other facilities.
In the past, kitchen was placed in the northwest corner of the building, along with serving are for all kind of food and drinks. There were two staff dining rooms available in the center of the building. Toilets were placed on the east side near the dustbin which was placed near the entrance.
On the present day, Serving are is replaced by hot meals facility while new salad bar is newly constructed in the west side of the main structure. While staff dining rooms are completely replaced by a take away food and coffee bar. Additionally a new outdoor seating are is introduced with a barbecue facility. Normal dustbin is replaced by a recycling bin while kitchen, toilets and table-chair area is remained unchanged.
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, providing a clear comparison of the college cafe before and after its redesign. Key features such as the expansion for outdoor seating, the relocation of the serving area, and the introduction of the barbecue and recycling facilities are accurately identified and reported. The overview paragraph successfully captures the main general changes. However, there are a few minor omissions in detailing the exact placement of some elements, and the development could be slightly more refined. Overall, the requirements of Task 1 are well met, earning a band score of 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paragraph, provides an overview, and separates the body information logically into past and present layouts. Paragraphing is used appropriately. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, with phrases like 'In the past' and 'On the present day' acting as rigid signposts. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'some are replaced by the other facilities,' and transitional devices lack flexibility. Despite these minor issues, the logical arrangement ensures the reader can follow the comparisons easily, warranting a band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying spatial changes with terms like 'layout,' 'redesigned,' 'expanded,' and 'relocated.' The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'amenities,' 'facility,' and 'recycling bin.' However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'on the present day' instead of 'at present,' 'serving are' instead of 'serving area,' and 'table-chair area is remained unchanged' instead of 'remains unchanged.' Spelling and word formation errors, while present, do not impede overall communication, placing the response firmly at a band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples include 'The maps illustrate the layout of a college cafe in the past and how it looks on the present day.' However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, such as 'the cafe undergo a significant changes,' 'make a way for,' 'kitchen was placed' (missing article), and 'is remained unchanged.' Punctuation and verb tense inconsistencies also occur, particularly when shifting between past and present descriptions. Because these errors occur frequently but rarely impede communication, a band 6.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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