Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 picture illustrates two maps that represent the cafe before renovation and its updated version. As there is an addition of various serving areas and outdoor seating. A coffee bar, salad bar, barbecue station and take-away food area has now been allocated after the renovation.

Previously, the cafeteria lounge had a kitchen area at the north west, and serving area right infront of it. In the main lounge there are two staff dining rooms and tables and chairs were placed all around the hall for students to enjoy their meals. There was only a single all purpose dustbin at the right of the hall next to the entrance door. Furthermore, toilet area was situated at the corner towards the south east side of the hall.

After the renovation was completed, the cafeteria got a major upgrade as a lot of food options were introduced so that students and staff can enjoy various meals according to their preferences. The serving area for all food and drinks got replaced by hot meals counter as fresh food is served there. Also the two staff dining rooms got replaced by takeaway food counter and coffee bar, respectively. At the very left of the hall, a salad bar is introduced providing healthy food options as well. An eco-friendly move that they did is the addition of recycling bins that separates the different types of waste for effective disposal. Moreover, outdoor seating was also introduced at the south area outside of the hall that has a barbecue station.

The updated renovation has introduced a lot of food options for students and staff providing fresh, healthy and various types of food and beverages. As this update will gain appreciation from students and staff providing convenience to them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by comparing the two maps of the college cafe before and after the redesign. An adequate overview is provided, highlighting the main changes such as the addition of various serving areas, outdoor seating, and a barbecue station. Key features of both layouts are accurately reported, including the repositioning of the kitchen counter, the replacement of staff dining rooms with a takeaway counter and coffee bar, the addition of a salad bar and recycling bins, and the introduction of the outdoor seating area. The information is well-supported by details from the diagrams, fulfilling the requirements for Task Achievement at a Band 6.5 to 7.0 level, as all main features are clearly identified.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is organized into clear paragraphs, moving from an introduction and overview to a description of the past layout, the current layout, and a concluding evaluation. Cohesive devices such as 'Previously', 'After the renovation was completed', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader through the comparisons. However, paragraphing could be tighter, and the final concluding sentence slightly repeats the previous description without adding new comparative value. Referencing is generally clear, though some transitional links feel slightly mechanical. Overall logical organization is maintained throughout, fitting the Band 6.5 descriptors well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing spatial changes and architectural features, using terms such as 'renovation', 'cafeteria lounge', 'eco-friendly move', and 'beverages'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'allocation', 'disposal', and 'convenience', though some collocations and word forms are slightly awkward or inaccurate, such as 'The updated renovation has introduced' or 'right infront of it'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary choices do not impede communication, placing this response firmly in the Band 6.0 to 6.5 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and temporal prepositional phrases. There are instances of good grammatical control, but also several errors in punctuation, article usage, and prepositions, such as missing commas, 'at the north west' instead of 'in the northwest', and run-on sentences in the conclusion. While complex structures are attempted, they are sometimes faulty. However, the errors rarely impede overall communication, supporting a Band 6.0 score for grammatical range and accuracy.

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