Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The given map illustrates the design of a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
Overall, the cafe has expanded its sector in today, at which staff dining rooms has been removed to add take away food and coffee bar. Furthermore, there have been significant changes to infrasturcture, saled bar and so on over the period.
Looking at the map before redesign, tables and chairs has been placed middle of the cafe, while staff dining rooms have been placed just near the tables and chair.
In today, the kitchen is still in the same place, where hot meal is replaced by serving area. Similarly, sealed bar has been developed today, whereas the sector teke away food and coffee bar has been added. While, the cafe have been expanded, the place for barbecue and outdoor seating has been added in the cafe design today. Bins and toilets are still placed in the same position.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the main features of the two maps, noting key changes such as the replacement of staff dining rooms with a take-away food and coffee bar area, the addition of a salad bar, outdoor seating, and a barbecue. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, stating that the cafe has expanded and undergone infrastructure changes. However, there are some inaccuracies and vague descriptions; for example, the student states 'hot meal is replaced by serving area', whereas the source map shows that the serving area is now labelled 'Hot meals'. Furthermore, 'teke away food' and 'saled bar' show minor misreadings or typos of the layout. Overall, the task is adequately addressed, but development lacks precision in places, corresponding to a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical progression from an introduction and overview to specific comparisons between the past and present layouts. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'Looking at the map before redesign', and 'In today', which help structure the report. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally clumsy or mechanical, as seen in awkward phrasing like 'its sector in today, at which staff dining rooms has been removed' and repetitive transitions. Paragraphing is attempted, but paragraph three consists of only one sentence, making the structural flow somewhat disjointed. This level of cohesion and organization fits the Band 6.0 descriptor.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student attempts a range of vocabulary relevant to describing spatial changes, including 'redesigned', 'expanded', 'infrastructure', and 'position'. However, there are several noticeable spelling errors and lexical inaccuracies, such as 'infrasturcture', 'saled bar' (salad bar), and 'teke away' (take away). Word choice is occasionally imprecise, such as 'sector in today'. While the vocabulary is adequate to convey the general meaning of the changes, the recurring spelling and word-formation errors restrict the score to Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and subordinate structures ('while staff dining rooms have been placed', 'where hot meal is replaced'). However, the text contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and singular/plural forms, such as 'staff dining rooms has been removed', 'tables and chairs has been placed', and 'the cafe have been expanded'. Punctuation and phrasing are also occasionally awkward. Because these errors occur regularly throughout the text, they prevent the grammar from reaching a Band 6.0, placing it firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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