Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The Map illustrates the college cafe before, and how its look now after redesigned.
Overall, cafe was quite simple with saff dining rooms only. Meanswhile, now it created with hot meals in the kitchen and salad bar as well on the west side of the cafe. Aslo, introduce the new outdoor sitting plan in the barbecue area.
Firstly, hot meals are introduced in the kitchen area on the main side of cafe. It also built a salad bar in the area of the cafe which is situated on the west side. Firthermore, Tables and chairs are still in the middle of the area, but improve the sections first one is take away and the second is coffee bar. Bin is situated at the same place but noe it rename itself, now it is recycling bins.
Secondly, toilets are still in the same corner of the cafe. They enhance a major area in the backyards of the cafe, which is barbecue area.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by outlining the changes to the college cafe, identifying key modifications such as the addition of the salad bar, outdoor seating area, barbecue, and changes to the food serving counters. However, the overview is extremely weak, ungrammatical, and lacks clarity. Furthermore, some descriptions are inaccurate or poorly communicated, such as misinterpreting the staff dining rooms becoming takeaway and coffee bar areas. While main features are mentioned, the information is disjointed and lacks proper selection and reporting, which places this performance at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is divided into short paragraphs, attempting an introductory overview followed by body paragraphs marked by sequencing words like 'Firstly' and 'Secondly'. However, the overall progression is disrupted by severe structural and grammatical flaws. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively, and referencing is frequently unclear ('They enhance a major area'). Paragraphing is initiated mechanically rather than logically, reflecting Band 5 descriptors where organisation is attempted but overall cohesion is inadequate.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and frequently inappropriate for an academic task. Words like 'look', 'saff', 'Aslo', 'sit', and 'noe' show significant spelling and word-choice errors. The student attempts to use less common vocabulary such as 'redesigned' and 'introduction', but errors in word formation ('outdoor sitting plan', 'rename itself') and repetitive phrasing ('introduced in the kitchen area', 'situated on the west side') restrict the response to Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
Grammatical control is weak throughout the response. There are frequent basic errors, including missing articles ('The Map illustrates', 'on main side of cafe'), incorrect verb forms ('how its look now after redesigned', 'now it created'), and incorrect tense usage. Simple sentence structures dominate, and attempts at complex structures result in faulty grammar and meaning distortion. Punctuation is also problematic. This corresponds to Band 5, where frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader.
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.