Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 provided maps illustrate the layout of a college café before and after its redevelopment.

Overall, it is evident that the major changes took place in the southern part of the map where outdoor seating has been constructed. Additionally, the central area previously used for staff dining has been replaced by customer-focused facilities, including a coffee bar and a takeaway section.

Looking first at the northern part of the map, the area where foods and drinks were served has been transformed into a zone for hot meals, while the kitchen remains unchanged. Furthermore, additional recycling bins have been added next to the toilets in the east.

Turning to the southern part, new outdoor seating has been constructed along with a barbecue section in the west corner. Two doorways have been installed to provide access to this outdoor area. Finally, a salad bar section has been built inside the café in the western corner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the two maps well and makes appropriate comparisons. You successfully identified the main structural changes, such as the replacement of the staff dining rooms with a coffee bar and takeaway section, the addition of outdoor seating, and the inclusion of a salad bar. The overview paragraph is concise and accurately highlights the primary transformations. However, there are minor locational inaccuracies: the barbecue is located to the south-west of the building rather than just the 'west corner', and the recycling bins are on the eastern wall, which you noted correctly. Overall, the information is well-selected, accurate, and fulfills the task requirements to a high standard, aligning closely with Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Your essay demonstrates a clear, logical progression throughout. The introductory paragraph successfully paraphrases the prompt, followed by a well-crafted overview paragraph. You then structure the body paragraphs logically by dividing them into the northern and southern areas of the map ('Looking first at the northern part...' and 'Turning to the southern part...'). Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader through the comparison, such as 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is appropriate and logical, contributing to an easy flow of information that meets the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision, suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Phrases like 'redevelopment', 'customer-focused facilities', 'transformed into a zone for hot meals', and 'outdoor seating has been constructed' demonstrate a good awareness of collocation and style. There are no notable spelling errors, and less common vocabulary items (e.g., 'redevelopment', 'facilities') are used accurately. While it does not consistently reach the sophisticated lexical range required for Band 8, your vocabulary is well-controlled and fully supports clear communication at a Band 7 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your writing displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as participial phrases ('previously used for staff dining') and subordinate clauses ('where foods and drinks were served'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate good control over grammar and punctuation. While there are a few minor prepositional inaccuracies (such as stating the barbecue is in the 'west corner' when it is outside the building), these do not impede communication. Your control over complex forms earns a solid Band 7.

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

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