Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-28

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 image illustrates the design mapping of a college cafe, where it details the before and after outlook by the designer.

Overall, it is notable that the architectural structure of the entire cafe has been revamped effectively. The designer took deep interest in creating purposeful and well-built amenities for the youth. The serving area, which was confined towards the kitchen itself where all sorts of food were jointly served in one place before, has now been segregated into different sections spreading in all corners – hot meals, takeaway food, coffee bar, salad bar and barbeque. The staff dining rooms were removed, and a common outdoor seating area is built outside. The central area where tables and chairs are placed remains intact.

It is seen how thoughtfully the regular bin has been replaced by a recycling bin, a better alternative choice towards an eco-friendly environment. In order to avoid overcrowding, two separate doors are built to get in and exit from the central area, making it easier to locate the outdoor seating section.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making clear comparisons between the two plans. The overview accurately identifies that the cafe has undergone a major revamp, highlighting key changes such as the segregation of the serving area into specialized sections (hot meals, takeaway, coffee bar, salad bar, and barbecue), the removal of staff dining rooms, and the addition of outdoor seating. However, the student includes some evaluative commentary and speculation that goes beyond objective reporting, such as stating the designer 'took deep interest in creating purposeful and well-built amenities for the youth' and discussing reasons 'to avoid overcrowding.' While the key spatial changes are correctly noted, maintaining a purely objective reporting tone is expected for Academic Task 1. Nevertheless, the main features are well-selected and reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organized into a clear overall structure with an introduction, a detailed body paragraph outlining structural changes, and a concluding paragraph summarizing minor updates. Cohesive devices and referencing are generally clear, as seen with phrases like 'Overall, it is notable that...' and 'The serving area, which was confined...'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the main spatial transformations from the minor amenities. Progression is logical, though the transition between paragraphs could be smoother to create a tighter flow. Overall cohesion is satisfactory and supports the clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suited to describing architectural and spatial changes. Less common items such as 'revamped', 'segregated', 'eco-friendly', and 'architectural structure' are used effectively. Word choice is generally appropriate, though there are minor awkward collocations, such as 'design mapping' instead of 'floor plan' or 'layout'. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the response, and the lexical range is sufficient to convey precise spatial information.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

A good mix of simple and complex sentence forms is utilized in the response. The student demonstrates control over relative clauses ('which was confined towards the kitchen itself') and participial phrases ('making it easier to locate'). Grammatical accuracy is generally high, with the majority of sentences being error-free. There are only very minor awkward phrasings, such as 'where it details the before and after outlook', but these do not impede communication or strain the reader. Punctuation is accurate throughout.

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