Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The layout illustrates the plan of a college cafe before and after it was redesigned.

Overall, the cafe underwent significant changes, with outdoor seating being introduced, in addition to various customer stalls, while indoor seating remained unchanged.

Looking first at the northern part of the area, the serving area was converted into hot meals section, while staff dining rooms were replaced by take away food and coffee bar. On the western part of the cafe, a salad bar was added, whereas the bin was transformed into a recycling bin.

Turning to the southern part of the area, the arrangement was further expanded outdoor. In addition to the previous tables and chairs setup, additional outdoor seating was introduced. The barbecue setup was also added near to the seating arrangement. On the other hand, the toilet remained at the same place as it was before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student addresses the task by selecting and reporting the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign, making relevant comparisons. The overview captures the major transformations clearly. However, the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 143 words, which limits the extent of detail and development. While the key spatial changes such as the addition of the outdoor seating, salad bar, and the conversion of staff rooms are covered, the under-length nature of the response prevents it from achieving a higher band. To reach a higher score, ensure the minimum word count is met and extend the descriptions of key spatial relationships further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organized logically with a clear overall progression. The introduction provides a general overview, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that guide the reader from the northern part of the cafe to the western and southern areas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different sections of the venue. Cohesive devices such as 'Looking first at', 'On the western part', and 'Turning to the southern part' are employed effectively to sequence information, although referencing is occasionally a bit mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a floor plan and spatial changes, using terms such as 'converted', 'transformed', and 'arrangement'. There are some minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'hot meals section' (missing an article) and 'expanded outdoor' (should be 'outdoors' or 'outward'). Less common vocabulary is attempted with reasonable control, and spelling is generally accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive constructions appropriately ('was converted', 'were replaced', 'was added'). There are a few grammatical errors and missing articles, such as 'into hot meals section' and 'expanded outdoor', but these errors do not impede communication. Complex structures are attempted with moderate success, and punctuation is generally sound throughout the entire piece.

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

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