Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given plan illustrates comparison about how changes have been made in cafe by redesigning.

Overall, the indoor area has undergone significant changes such as, kitchen serving area and staff dining room, while new facilities were also added.

Before redesigning of the cafe, the kitchen and food serving area were located at the northern side. The main entrance was given at the eastern side of the cafe, leading directly to a foyer. The bin and restroom were located at south-east location. However, in the center of the cafe seating arrangement was given.

Since then, the facility has witnessed extensive transformation. Former food and drink serving area were replaced by a hot meals counter. Staff dining room was split into two parts and converted into a food take away counter and coffee bar. In addition, previous bin has been turned into a recycling bin. Notably, seating has been expanded outside the cafe. There was a salad bar and barbecue counter also installed at the west side of the cafe. In the south side two doors were installed to access the outside seating area which has approximately 26 seats capacity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all key aspects of the task by comparing the layout of the college cafe before and after the redesign. An adequate overview is provided, highlighting the main indoor modifications and the addition of new outdoor and auxiliary facilities. Key changes, such as the transformation of the staff dining room into a takeaway counter and coffee bar, the addition of a salad bar, and the inclusion of outdoor seating with a barbecue, are clearly reported. The response is well-grounded in the provided visual data with no significant misinterpretations, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from an introductory statement and general overview to detailed descriptions of the past and present layouts. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, past features, and current features. Cohesive devices are generally employed effectively, such as 'Before redesigning of the cafe', 'However', and 'Since then', though some transitional phrasing feels slightly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear, ensuring the reader can easily follow the spatial comparisons between the two plans.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process or map comparison task, utilizing terms such as 'redesigning', 'transformation', 'counter', and 'recycling bin'. There are some awkward collocations or lexical choices, such as 'The given plan illustrates comparison about how changes have been made in cafe' instead of 'illustrates the changes made to the cafe', and 'capacity' used slightly unnaturally. However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main features clearly, and spelling is generally accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating passive voice where appropriate ('were located', 'were replaced'). There are some noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'Before redesigning of the cafe' (missing article and prepositional awkwardness), 'main entrance was given at the eastern side', and 'seating arrangement was given'. Despite these errors in prepositions and voice selection, the grammatical errors do not impede communication, and the overall sentence control aligns well with Band 6 descriptors.

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

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