Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-27
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 two diagrams illustrates the process of college cafe before it was redesigned and how its looks now.
Overall,the cafe has undergone several changes.New facilities,including a coffee bar,take away food area,salad bar and outdoor seating have been added,while the kitchen,toilets and main seating area have remained largely unchanged.
Before the undesigne,there were two staff dining rooms above the main seating area.These have been now replaced by a takeaway food area and a coffee bar.The serving area next to the kitchen has also been changed into a hot meals counter.In addition,a salad bar has been added along tge left side of the cafe.
The main area with tables and chairs,the kitchen and the toilets have remained in the same locations.However,the bin has been replaced by the recycling bins.Outside the cafe,a new sitting area and barbecue have been added.and the remaining locations are same,they are in their places.and there are four tables outside the cafe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response successfully addresses the task by summarising the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign. You provide a clear overview outlining the key additions and unchanged areas. Specific comparisons are made, such as the transformation of the staff dining rooms into a takeaway food area and coffee bar, the addition of a salad bar, and the introduction of outdoor seating and a barbecue. Although there are some minor typographical errors and slightly repetitive phrasing towards the end of the text, all key spatial transformations are covered accurately and supported by the visual data. This meets the criteria for Band 6.5 to 7.0; because the main features are well-reported and the overview is clear, a score of 6.5 is appropriate.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay is logically organised with an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs detailing specific spatial changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body points. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Before the undesigne', and 'However' help guide the reader through the comparisons. However, there are some minor referencing and cohesion flaws, such as repetitive sentence structures and clunky transitions near the end ('Outside the cafe, a new sitting area and barbecue have been added.and the remaining locations are same...'). These minor mechanical issues place the response solidly at Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate vocabulary range to describe physical changes, utilizing functional terms such as 'redesigned', 'facilities', 'transform', and 'locations'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'illustrates' with a plural subject ('The two diagrams illustrates'), 'undesigne' instead of 'redesign', and 'tge' instead of 'the'. While less common vocabulary is attempted, these errors and occasional awkward collocations ('new sitting area' instead of 'seating area') limit the lexical score to a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating passive voice structures ('have been redesigned', 'have been added', 'have been replaced'). However, there are frequent grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement errors ('diagrams illustrates'), missing spaces after commas and periods ('Overall,the cafe', 'added.and the remaining'), and awkward fragments. Despite these errors, meaning is generally not obscured, allowing the text to achieve a Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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