Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22

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 7.0)

The plans illustrate the layouts of a college cafe before and after it was revamped.

Overall, although the indoor dining area remained mostly unchanged, the rooms where staff could eat were replaced by other facilities. The serving area was divided into two different parts, and an open-air terrace was added.

In the northern part of the cafe, there used to be a single serving area for all types of food and drink. After the redesign, it was split into two facilities: an area for serving hot meals to the south of the kitchen, and a salad bar in the western part of the dining room. In addition, two rooms reserved for staff were replaced by a coffee bar and an area for customers to order takeaway, whereas the original bin was replaced by several recycling bins.

One of the most noticeable changes was the addition of an outdoor terrace for dining, which includes five tables for customers. An area for barbecue was also built outside the cafe's main building.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by comparing the layout of the college cafe before and after the redesign. A clear overview is presented in the second paragraph, capturing the main structural developments such as the replacement of staff rooms and the addition of an outdoor terrace. Key features are accurately reported and supported by visual data, such as the transformation of the northern serving area into hot meals and a salad bar, and the introduction of a coffee bar and takeaway section. The response is well-developed and provides a comprehensive summary without omitting significant details.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression from the introduction to the overview, and subsequently into detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different areas of the cafe. Cohesive devices are managed well, using phrases like 'Overall, although...', 'After the redesign...', and 'In addition' to link ideas smoothly. Referencing is clear throughout, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the spatial relationships between the old and new layouts.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an Academic Task 1 response. Less common lexical items and collocations are used effectively, such as 'revamped', 'terraced', 'takeaway', and 'recycling bins'. Word choice is generally precise, although there is a minor spatial misread regarding the salad bar location (transcription notes it along the western wall, whereas the student places it 'in the western part of the dining room'). However, this does not impede communication, and the overall lexical control is strong.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses ('although the indoor dining area remained mostly unchanged') and relative clauses ('rooms where staff could eat'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is maintained throughout. Punctuation is accurate, and verb tenses are handled correctly to describe past states versus current arrangements. The grammatical range is well-suited for a solid band 7.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.