Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

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 6.0)

The plans illustrate the changes by which a college cafe was redesigned and how it looks now.

Overall, major replacements took place in the kitchen and the staff dining rooms. An outdoor seating area was reconstructed along with a barbecue. Other areas remained unchanged after the redesign period.

According to what is shown inside of the cafe, the serving area, where food and drinks were served, was replaced totally by hot meals. A new salad bar located in the center left of the cafe was constructed. Additionally, the take away food area and coffee bar took the place of the staff dining rooms. A small garbage bin was replaced by new recycling bins in the far right area inside of the cafe.

Outside the cafe, a large outdoor seating area was constructed alongside of a new barbecue on the left. However, the tables and chairs area and toilets changed much less over time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting key changes such as the reconfiguration of the kitchen area, staff rooms, and the addition of outdoor facilities. Most comparisons and spatial locations are accurately described, such as the replacement of staff dining rooms with a take away food area and coffee bar, and the addition of a salad bar and outdoor seating. However, there is a slight misinterpretation regarding the kitchen counter, as the student states the serving area was "replaced totally by hot meals," whereas the transcription shows the counter label simply changed from serving area to hot meals. Overall, the response covers the visual data well and fulfills the requirements of Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised into clear paragraphs, starting with an introductory sentence, followed by an overview paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs discussing changes inside and outside the cafe. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the plans, such as "Overall," "According to what is shown," and "Outside the cafe." Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the progression of information from the interior changes to the exterior additions follows a logical sequence. However, occasional transitional phrasing feels slightly mechanical, which prevents the score from reaching a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a floor plan and spatial changes, including terms such as "redesigned," "reconstructed," "counter," and "facilities." There are some attempts at less common vocabulary ("reconstructed," "redevelopment"), though word choices are occasionally straightforward or slightly unnatural, such as "replaced totally by hot meals." Spelling is accurate throughout the text, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the description of the visual data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ("the serving area, where food and drinks were served, was replaced") and passive constructions ("was redesigned," "was constructed"). There are several error-free sentences, and the grammatical control is generally good. Minor awkwardness in phrasing appears occasionally, such as "changes by which a college cafe was redesigned," but these do not impede understanding. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses and structure the sentences effectively.

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