Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The two given diagrams require a comparison of the cafe before and after the renovation. Significant developments have taken place after the renovation of the cafe.

Before the renovation, as per the diagram, some necessary things were missing. There was no takeaway service available in the cafe, which was added later. Before that this place was occupied by the staff dining area; now it has been replaced by a takeaway food and coffee bar. Also, the salad bar was included subsequently.

Two new things have been incorporated in the cafe design: barbecue and outdoor seating; neither was available in the previous design of the cafe. The bins have been reduced in the new map, and the toilet area remained the same as it was before, along with the kitchen, the serving area for beverages and food was replaced with hot meals only. Some key changes has expanded the cafe area and made the cafe more comprehensive.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student addresses the task by comparing the two plans of the college cafe before and after redesign. Key features are reported, such as the introduction of a takeaway service, a coffee bar, a salad bar, an outdoor seating area, and a barbecue, alongside elements that remained unchanged like the toilets and kitchen. However, the overview is somewhat limited and lacks a clear summary of the overall spatial transformation. Furthermore, some descriptions are slightly imprecise, such as claiming 'the bins have been reduced' when recycling bins replaced the single bin. The response meets the minimum word count of 150 words (156 words), but the depth of comparison could be extended to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Before the renovation', 'now', and 'Also'. However, referencing is occasionally repetitive or vague, as seen with phrases like 'Before that this place'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate distinct spatial features, but the logical progression between sentences could be smoother to avoid abrupt shifts in focus.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'incorporated', 'comprehensive', and 'subsequently'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'Some key changes has expanded' (grammatical error tied to vocabulary) and slightly awkward phrasing like 'some necessary things were missing'. The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but vocabulary control prevents it from reaching a higher descriptor level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures ('were missing', 'has been incorporated') and subordinate clauses. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors that detract from accuracy, most notably subject-verb agreement: 'Some key changes has expanded' instead of 'have expanded'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but sentence structures remain somewhat basic overall, and errors occur when attempting more complex phrasing.

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

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