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 figure below illustrates a college cafe before and after it underwent renovation.

Overall, the cafe was restructured to become more accessible and appealing with separate sections for Barbeque, Outdoor seating, Coffee and Salad bar, and Takeaway.

Before the redesign, there was a serving area just beneath the kitchen. The new model restricted that for hot meals. Additionally, the general bins were replaced with Recycling bins, and the two staff dining rooms were converted into makeshift Coffee bar and takeaway food area.

After modifications, some new sections were also included in the cafe, such as the Salad bar at the peripheral area, and a Barbeque corner outside of the cafe boundaries. There was also a six- and four-seater outdoor seating arrangement added, just in front of the Barbeque corner. The Kitchen, toilets, and indoor sitting area however, did not undergo any change before and after the remodelling of the cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign. An effective overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key spatial changes such as the addition of the barbecue, outdoor seating, and separate food counters. Major features like the conversion of the staff dining rooms into a takeaway and coffee bar, the new salad bar, and recycling bins are accurately compared and described. The data is well-selected, and no significant features are omitted or misread, demonstrating a clear understanding of the visual source material. The response meets the minimum length requirement easily at exactly 150 words.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organised and easy to follow, with a clear progression from the introduction and overview to specific body paragraphs detailing the modifications. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related changes together. Cohesive devices such as 'Before the redesign', 'Additionally', and 'After modifications' are deployed effectively to guide the reader through the spatial comparison. However, occasional mechanical transitions or slight awkwardness in referencing prevent it from reaching a higher band. Overall arrangement is coherent and maintains a logical flow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe spatial changes flexibly and with some precision. Items such as 'restructured', 'renovation', 'peripheral area', and 'remodelling' show a good awareness of academic style and collocation appropriate for Task 1. There are minor slips in word choice or phrasing, such as 'restricted that for hot meals' where 'allocated' or 'designated' might be more natural, and the minor typo 'makeshift Coffee bar'. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is adequate to convey precise information without hindering communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used successfully throughout the report. The student incorporates relative clauses and prepositional phrases, as seen in 'The new model restricted that for hot meals' and 'some new sections were also included in the cafe, such as the Salad bar at the peripheral area'. There are a few minor grammatical lapses or awkward phrasings, but the majority of sentences are error-free, and grammar and punctuation never impede communication. Control over past and present tenses used to contrast the two time periods is generally well-maintained.

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