Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18

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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the changes in the map of a college cafe before and after its redesigning.

Overall, the cafeteria after variations, is looking vast with the availability of some outdoor seating and a barbecue corner. Recycling bins and a salad bar are also the new additions. The room that has been used by the staff members for dining purposes before, changed to a coffee bar and a room related to takeaway food service.

By looking at the diagrams, it can be seen that kitchen and toilets are in the same positions in both cases, but the serving area for all the food and drinks, is redesigned into a hot meals room.The staff dining area which has an arrangement of two tables with 6 chairs each, has now modified into two small sectors: one is a takeaway food corner, while the other is a coffee bar.

There are also some changings including the salad bar and recycling bins can be seen that were not the part of the design before the alterations. The installation of a barbecue room with outdoor seating plan can also be noticed outside the cafe with three main tables with 6 chairs each, in the middle and two tables with four chairs each at the corners, can also included in the modification.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting key changes such as the outdoor seating, barbecue corner, recycling bins, and salad bar. Comparisons are made between the two layouts, such as the kitchen remaining in the same position while the former staff dining rooms are converted into a takeaway food corner and a coffee bar. However, there are some inaccuracies in detail compared to the visual data, such as miscounting the furniture (e.g., stating tables have 6 chairs when the plan shows 4) and minor descriptive errors like calling the barbecue area a 'barbecue room'. Despite these minor flaws, the key visual information is adequately summarized, earning a solid Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introductory statement, followed by an overview and body details. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'By looking at the diagrams', and 'There are also some changings'. However, the progression can feel slightly mechanical and repetitive at times. Paragraphing is adequate, separating the introduction/overview from the main body comparisons. Reference words are generally clear, though occasional awkward phrasing affects the overall flow. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, attempting less common items such as 'redesigning', 'variations', 'modifications', and 'installation'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'the changes in the map' instead of 'plans', 'looking vast' instead of 'becoming more spacious', and 'changings' instead of 'changes'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but vocabulary limitations and occasional inappropriate word forms prevent the response from reaching a higher band. These errors do not seriously impede communication, supporting a Band 6.0 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('that has been used by the staff members') and participial phrases ('By looking at the diagrams'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('is looking', 'has been used', 'changed to') and preposition errors. For example, phrases like 'the room that has been used... changed to' and 'can also included in the modification' demonstrate grammatical lapses. Nonetheless, the meaning remains generally clear and the errors do not impede the reader, fitting the Band 6.0 criteria well.

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

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