Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-01
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 diagram compares a college cafe before it was reconstructed and how it looks now.
Overall, the area underwent considerable changes, with outdoor seating and Barbecue being the most noticeable developments.
Looking first at Hot meals, it was serving area but now it has been turned into hot meals. Moreover Staff dinning rooms has been converted into Take away food and coffee bar. Salad bar has been developed on the left side of the cafe. Furthermore, The area of recycling bins has been increased. Additionally, Outdoor seating has been introduced and there is also barbecue spot beside the outdoor seating.
Move further, The kitchen is right there. Toilets are also located in their current spot. There are two additional doors who connect indoor seating to outdoor seating areas. Serving area and staff dinning rooms have been demolished. Salad bar, Barbecue, and open air seating has been introduced. Tables and chairs are their existing location.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the changes shown in the plans, such as the introduction of the outdoor seating, barbecue, and salad bar, alongside alterations to the kitchen and dining facilities. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and mechanical. Some parts, such as the transition from the serving area to hot meals and the replacement of staff dining rooms, are mentioned with basic detail but lack fully extended comparison. While an overview is present in the second paragraph, some descriptions repeat information or lack precise spatial reporting, placing this aspect of the writing within the mid-range expectations for task fulfilment.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text demonstrates a basic attempt to organise information logically, beginning with an introduction and an overall summary, followed by body paragraphs detailing specific changes. However, the overall progression lacks fluidity. Cohesive devices are handled rather mechanically, with repetitive transitions such as 'Looking first at' and 'Move further'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the third and fourth paragraphs feel fragmented, jumping between different areas of the café without a clear, seamless spatial narrative. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the mechanical sequencing hinders a truly smooth reading experience.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate to communicate the basic changes on the plan, employing terms like 'reconstructed', 'developments', and 'converted'. However, the range is limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic or imprecise phrasing, such as 'right there' and 'spot'. There are noticeable word choice and form inaccuracies, including 'Staff dinning rooms' (spelling of dining) and 'open air seating' alongside inconsistent article use associated with vocabulary items. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success, causing minor friction for the reader in terms of natural academic style and lexical precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writing displays a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms, such as 'while outdoor seating and Barbecue being the most noticeable developments' (which contains a grammatical error). There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('Staff dinning rooms has been converted'), missing articles ('is right there', 'beside outdoor seating'), and faulty relative clauses ('doors who connect'). Although these errors rarely completely obscure the core message, their frequency and the persistent inaccuracies in basic structures restrict the grammatical score.
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