Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30
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 5.0)
The given plan illustrates a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
To begin, with the redesigned plan. Firstly, after enterining in the cafe on the left side there is garbage can to throw the trash next to that it has a washroom. Moreover, opposite to the toliets there is staff dinning room it is divided into two part. There is a huge sitting area, at the corner of the cafe there is a serving area and a kitchen.
On the other hand, cafe today looks like an upgrated and have some changes in it. Bins and toliets are same, staff dining room is now converted into a take away food room and a coffee bar. Furthermore, they replace the serving area with hot meals. It has a new counter called salad bar in front of the kitchen. On the right, of salad bar there's a door which leads you out to a barbecue section and also a there is a space for a seating area.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response attempts to describe the changes shown in the plans, noting major transformations such as the staff dining rooms becoming a takeaway food room and coffee bar, and the addition of the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, there are significant spatial inaccuracies in the description. For instance, the student states that on entering the café on the left side there is a garbage can and washroom, whereas the provided plans show the toilets in the bottom-right corner and recycling bins/bins on the eastern wall. Additionally, some key features are omitted or described vaguely. Because of the misinterpretation of locations and uneven coverage of visual data, the response aligns best with Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text is organized into basic paragraphs, starting with an introductory sentence followed by body paragraphs for the previous and current layouts. However, the logical progression is hindered by confusing spatial descriptions and weak cohesive links. Transitions such as 'To begin, with the redesigned plan', 'Firstly, after enterining in the cafe', and 'On the other hand' are awkward or misused, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships between different areas of the café. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion is faulty. This performance fits the Band 5.0 descriptor for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive ('huge sitting area', 'some changes', 'new counter'). There are several noticeable word choice and spelling errors, such as 'enterining' instead of entering, 'toliets' instead of toilets, 'dinning' instead of dining, and 'upgrated' instead of upgraded. While the student attempts some topic-specific vocabulary related to the prompt (e.g., 'coffee bar', 'salad bar', 'barbecue section'), the limited range of language and frequent lexical inaccuracies cause some difficulty for the reader, which is characteristic of Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response features a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic descriptive clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and punctuation slips, such as 'next to that it has a washroom', 'opposite to the toliets there is staff dinning room it is divided into two part', and 'also a there is a space'. These persistent errors and lack of complex structural control frequently disrupt the flow of reading, placing this submission firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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