Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The maps illustrate how the layout and facilities of a college cafe changed between the past and the present.

Overall, the cafe underwent considerable redevelopment, with several existing facilities being replaced or converted and a number of new food and seating facilities being introduced.

In the past, a kitchen and serving area occupied the northeastern corner of the cafe, while the toilets were situated in the southwestern corner. A seating area containing tables and chairs was located in the centre. On the northern side, there was a staff dining room, whereas bins were positioned along the western side of the cafe.

At present, the former serving area has been converted into a hot-meals section. The staff dining room has been replaced by a takeaway-food area and a coffee bar, while the original bins have been replaced with recycling bins. In addition, a salad bar has been introduced. The southern part of the cafe has also been developed, with a barbecue and an outdoor seating area being added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by summarizing the main changes between the two maps of the college cafe. An effective overview is provided, highlighting the overall redevelopment and introduction of new food and seating areas. Key features, such as the conversion of the serving area into a hot-meals section, the replacement of the staff dining room with a takeaway area and coffee bar, and the addition of outdoor facilities like a barbecue and seating, are accurately reported. However, there are minor spatial inaccuracies in the body paragraphs; for instance, the kitchen and serving area in the past are described as being in the northeastern corner rather than the northwestern corner, and the bins are noted on the western side instead of the eastern side. Despite these minor misreadings of the source data, the overall summary is coherent and adequately covers the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is well-organized with a clear, logical progression from introduction to overview, past layout, and present layout. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in structuring the comparison. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In the past', 'whereas', and 'At present' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the temporal and spatial changes. Referencing is generally clear, ensuring that the relationships between the old and new features are easy to follow. The logical flow supports clear communication throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'considerable redevelopment', 'replaced or converted', and 'introduced' show a good command of language relevant to describing map changes. Less common lexical items such as 'redevelopment', 'facilities', and 'barbecue' are used with reasonable accuracy. While there are some minor spatial errors in vocabulary application regarding directions, the word choice overall is precise enough to convey the intended meaning clearly without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writing exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating passive voice effectively (e.g., 'being replaced or converted', 'has been converted', 'has been introduced'). Grammatical control is generally strong, with frequent error-free sentences and correct punctuation. Minor errors, such as the spatial misidentifications noted under task achievement, are primarily content-related rather than structural grammatical failures. The sentence patterns flow naturally and demonstrate a solid grasp of English grammar required for academic writing tasks.

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