Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23

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 map below represents a college café before it was redesign and what it looks a like today after redesign.

Overall, a lot major developments after redesigning it like out door seating space, barbecue, salad bar and much more changes have occurred.

Furthermore, the kitchen has remained the same but serving area has now become the hot meals portion which another major change. Additionally, staff dinning rooms space is divided into take away food corner on the left and coffee bar on the right after reconstruction which the one of significant development. Also, in area of tables and chairs on the right it has recycled bins and on the left the salad bar has opened.

Lastly, additional outdoor seating area is established which has 2 entrance from tables and chairs area and near to this barbecue corner has been opened as well but the toilets have remain unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to describe the main changes between the two plans, noting key features such as the outdoor seating, barbecue area, salad bar, and changes to the serving and staff dining areas. However, there is a minor omission regarding comprehensive comparisons, and the text falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 148 words. This length penalty caps the task achievement score. Furthermore, the overview is somewhat informal and repetitive. To reach a higher band, the response should ensure it clearly meets the word count threshold and presents a more polished summary of the spatial transformations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introductory sentence, followed by an overview, and then body paragraphs detailing specific alterations. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'Lastly' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, but occasional clunky phrasing interrupts the flow of information. Overall, the organizational structure is adequate for an intermediate level.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts some less common vocabulary relevant to the task, such as 'developments', 'reconstruction', 'significant development', and 'unchanged'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'before it was redesign' instead of 'redesigned', 'out door seating' as two words, and 'hot meals portion'. Vocabulary range is adequate to convey basic information, but lexical inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing restrict the score to a 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, such as missing auxiliary verbs or incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'before it was redesign', 'what it looks a like today after redesign', 'which the one of significant development', 'recycled bins', and 'toilets have remain'). Punctuation is also somewhat erratic. While communication is not severely impeded, the frequency of basic grammatical errors prevents the score from rising above 5.0.

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

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