Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The figure illustrates how a college cafe was renovated and altered into a new architecture. Overall, it can be seen that the Cafe was upgraded and new facilities were provided.

Initially, the Cafe had only indoor seating, but after the transformation, outdoor seating area was introduced along with the Barbeque area. The door to go into the outdoor seating was built in the north-west side of the Cafe, while the doorway to go inside the Cafe from the outdoor area was built in the north-east side. There was only one serving counter before, which was divided into 4 serving sections later. The initial serving area was converted into hot meals section whereas the staff dining rooms were redesigned into take away food and coffee bar. A salad bar was also introduced in the west side of the cafe. The area for the indoor tables and chairs remained untouched. The bin was enhanced into a recycling bin and got enlarged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses the main features of the task by comparing the college cafe before and after the redesign. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting general upgrades and new facilities. Key changes are highlighted, such as the introduction of outdoor seating, a barbecue area, a salad bar, and the reorganisation of the kitchen and counters into hot meals, take away food, and a coffee bar. However, there are some minor spatial inaccuracies in the description; for instance, the student states that the doors to the outdoor seating were built on the 'north-west side' and 'north-east side', whereas the visual data clearly shows the outdoor seating and barbecue are located along the southern wall. Despite these directional slips, all major structural transformations are reported, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall progression, moving from a general introductory overview to specific modifications made across the cafe layout. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Initially', 'after the transformation', and 'whereas'. However, the paragraphing is underdeveloped; the entire body of the response is crammed into a single block alongside the introduction, which detracts from the visual organisation of the text. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as using vague directional markers. To achieve a higher band, the student should separate the text into distinct paragraphs for the introduction, overview, and specific body details, ensuring smoother transitions between spatial features.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The lexical range is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific vocabulary related to maps and building plans, such as 'renovated', 'transformation', 'serving counter', and 'recycling bin'. There are, however, some awkward word choices and collocations. For example, the phrase 'altered into a new architecture' is unnatural, and 'The bin was enhanced into a recycling bin' misuses the verb 'enhanced'. Spelling is generally accurate, but vocabulary flexibility is limited by repetitive structures and occasional imprecise terms. To improve, the student should employ more varied synonyms for changes and developments (e.g., 'converted', 'replaced', 'relocated') and ensure collocations are standard.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures appropriately (e.g., 'outdoor seating area was introduced', 'was converted into hot meals section'). There are some minor grammatical errors and missing articles, such as 'outdoor seating area was introduced' (missing 'an') and 'in the west side' (should be 'on the west side'). Punctuation is generally correct, and sentences remain intelligible despite the minor flaws. The control of grammar is sufficient to allow smooth reading, placing the performance comfortably in the Band 6.5 category.

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

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