Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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 given layouts illustrates the changes done in a college cafe after its renovation. The new layout shows how the spaces are segregating and used efficiently.
Overall, the layout of the cafe remains same with one additional counter of Salad bar on the left hand side inside the cafe and a barbecue station right next to the entrance on the left. Outdoor seating is also one of the major changes executed during the rennovation.
Initially, the there were two separate rooms on the top corner, dedicated to staff dining areas. Kitchen was on the top left corner which also shared a combined space for serving all sort of food and drinks. Bin was placed on the right side of the cafe, whereas toilets were on the right most bottom corner. Tables and chairs were placed in an open space in front of staff dining rooms.
Post the redesign plan, Staff rooms are replaced with food take away and Coffee bar. Kitchen area remains intact in its place, allthough the serving counter is replaced by hot meals station. On the left of the cafe, a new Salad counter is added whereas, Bin on the right most side is replaced with a bigger size recycling bins. The space in the middle of the cafe is occupied for the seating area.
Aparts, additional seatings are added on an outdoor space for people to enjoy a new barbecue station on the left side of 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 student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the college cafe before and after the redesign and providing relevant comparisons. Key transformations are identified, such as the replacement of staff dining rooms with a take away food section and coffee bar, the addition of a salad bar and outdoor seating, and the introduction of a barbecue station. An overview is present in the second paragraph, though it contains some minor inaccuracies in spatial reporting, such as placing the barbecue station 'right next to the entrance on the left' rather than to the south-west of the building. Nevertheless, the main trends and changes are clearly communicated, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0 response.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by separate paragraphs detailing the initial layout, the redesigned layout, and additional features. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Post the redesign plan', and 'Aparts' (intended as 'Apart from this') are used to guide the reader through the spatial changes. However, referencing and cohesion can be somewhat mechanical at times, and paragraphing is slightly fragmented toward the end. Overall progression is clear, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two maps.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing spatial changes, utilizing terms such as 'renovation', 'segregating', 'intact', and 'recycling bins'. There are occasional word choice and collocation errors, such as 'layouts illustrates' (agreement error), 'spaces are segregating' (awkward voice), and 'Aparts' (lexical error). Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success. Spelling is generally accurate, and the lexical errors present do not impede communication, placing the response solidly in the Band 6 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The new layout shows how the spaces are segregating and used efficiently' and 'Outdoor seating is also one of the major changes executed during the rennovation.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the there were', 'layouts illustrates'), spelling slips ('rennovation', 'allthough'), and prepositional inaccuracies. However, complex structures are attempted, and the errors only rarely impede overall comprehension.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.