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 map illustrates the changes that took place in a college cafe in the past and present.
Overall, the college cafe has undergone significant changes in its layout and facilities. Several areas were relocated and replaced, while new facilities, such as hotel meals, takeaway foods, and coffee bar, were introduced.
In the past, the cafe had a kitchen and serving area in the northeast corner, while the toilets were in the southwest corner. In the centre of the cafe, there were tables and chairs, and the staff dining rooms were on the north side of the cafe, while bins were on the west side of the cafe.
At present, the serving area have been converted in the hot meals, while staff dining rooms have been replaced into takeaway food and coffee bar. The bins have been converted into recycling bins and a salad bar have been installed. A barbecue and a outdoor seating has been installed on the south side of the cafe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully addresses the main features of the maps, presenting a clear overview of the overall changes that occurred in the college cafe. Key developments, such as the introduction of the hot meals counter, takeaway food, coffee bar, salad bar, outdoor seating, and a barbecue, are reported. However, there are some inaccuracies regarding the spatial locations in the past description; for instance, the student states that the kitchen and serving area were in the northeast corner and bins were on the west side, whereas the transcription and visual data show them in the upper-left (northwest/north) and eastern walls respectively. Despite these locational errors, the general comparison between past and present is adequately covered, aligning with the descriptors for Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is arranged logically into four paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, a description of the past layout, and finally the present layout. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In the past', and 'At present' are used to structure the text effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods. While referencing is generally clear, the progression could be slightly smoother in terms of spatial orientation. Overall, the organizational structure meets the criteria for Band 6.5, showing a coherent arrangement throughout.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting appropriate terms such as 'relocated', 'replaced', 'converted', and 'installed'. However, there are notable lexical errors and unnatural collocations, such as 'hotel meals' instead of 'hot meals', 'replaced into' instead of 'replaced by', and agreement errors like 'a salad bar have been installed' and 'a outdoor seating'. Although these errors occur, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, which fits the Band 6.0 descriptor.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures to compare the two time periods. However, several grammatical errors detract from the accuracy of the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the serving area have been converted', 'a salad bar have been installed'), prepositional misuse ('converted in the hot meals'), and an article error ('a outdoor seating'). Despite these frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, communication is not severely impeded, and the sentence structures remain reasonably varied, supporting a Band 5.5 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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