Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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 maps illustrate the layout of a college cafe before and after a recent renovation project.

Overall, the cafe has undergone a significant expansion and modernisation. The most notable changes include the enlargement of the seating area, the addition of several new facilities, and a general increase in the cafe's capacity to serve students.

In the original layout, the cafe was relatively small with a single rectangular seating area in the centre. To the north, there was a simple counter and a small kitchen area. The entrance was located on the western wall, leading directly into the main room.

Following the redesign, the cafe has been significantly extended to the south and east. The central seating area has been replaced by a much larger, L-shaped space that now includes more tables and chairs. The counter has been moved to the eastern side and expanded to include a new "grab and go" section. Additionally, the kitchen has been modernised and enlarged. A new terrace has been added to the southern exterior, providing outdoor seating, and the main entrance has been relocated to the south-east corner to improve the flow of foot traffic.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student provides a good overview of the changes in the college cafe, noting the expansion and modernisation. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies when compared to the visual data. For instance, the student states that the counter has been moved to the eastern side and the entrance has been relocated to the south-east corner. According to the source plan, the kitchen and hot meals counter remain in the upper-left, while staff dining rooms were replaced by take away food and a coffee bar, and the entrance remains on the eastern/northern side with new doors added to the south for outdoor seating. Because of these specific misreadings of the spatial layout, the response cannot achieve the highest bands for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is arranged logically into four paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, moving to an overall summary, and then contrasting the original layout with the current one. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the comparison, such as 'In the original layout' and 'Following the redesign'. Paragraphing is clear and appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. Referencing is mostly clear, though some misinterpretations of the map's layout slightly hinder the overall logical progression regarding specific locations. Nevertheless, the structural organisation is clear and easy to follow overall.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for describing maps and spatial changes. The student successfully employs terms such as 'renovation project', 'modernisation', 'enlargement', and 'exterior'. There are attempts at less common phrasing like 'flow of foot traffic' and 'recently renovated'. While the word choice is mostly precise, some inaccuracies occur due to the misreading of the map details (e.g., mislocating the counter and entrance). Spelling is accurate throughout, and the lexical range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a good control of grammar and sentence structure. There is a healthy mix of simple and complex sentences, utilizing appropriate dependent clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'following the redesign, the cafe has been significantly extended...'). Grammatical accuracy is quite high, with the majority of sentences being error-free. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses and structure the response. While the range of complex structures is somewhat standard for Task 1, control over the grammar used is solid and reliable.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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