Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The pie chart illustrate a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now,college cafe before redesign i can see the kitchen section with the serving area which includes the all food and drink ,then in the right side i can see the staff dining rooms, then its a large hall that are filled with tables and chairs and front of this hall there is a bin and in the corner there is a toilets.But in todays cafe there is a several changes and create a complete infrastructure also ,like firstly i see the kitchen section with the hot meals,then in the right side its a section of take away food and there is another room for cofee lovers,in the left side there is a salad bar also ,then its a large hall that are the sitting area it includes the tables and chairs,and then front of the hall there is alot of recycling bins ,and in the corner there is a toilets,and the barbecue are also available,there is a out side sitting also.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to describe the two plans, the visual data is misidentified at the very beginning by referring to the diagrams as a "pie chart." The overview is missing, and the description relies heavily on a sequential, conversational listing of features using phrases like "i can see" rather than objective reporting and comparative analysis. Key changes, such as the removal of the staff dining rooms and the addition of outdoor seating, a barbecue, and a salad bar, are mentioned, but the information is presented in a mechanical and under-developed way. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to present a clear overview of the main trends and integrate comparisons between the two maps rather than treating them as isolated lists of features.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a lack of clear overall progression and organization in the text. The response is written as one long, run-on sentence containing numerous clauses linked together by repetitive conjunctions and commas, such as "then... then... and... But... like firstly i see... then... and then...". Paragraphing is entirely absent, which prevents logical sequencing of information. Cohesive devices are heavily overused and mechanically applied to stitch clauses together instead of structuring the comparison logically. To improve, the student should divide the response into distinct paragraphs (such as an introduction/overview, a description of the original layout, and a description of the current layout) and use a wider range of appropriate cohesive links to guide the reader smoothly through the spatial changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The lexical resource is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The vocabulary used is quite basic and repetitive, relying on everyday words like "see," "room," and "section." There are noticeable word-choice inaccuracies and awkward phrases, such as "complete infrastructure" and "coffee lovers," which do not fit the formal tone expected in Academic Task 1 writing. Furthermore, there are several spelling and formatting issues, such as "cofee" instead of "coffee" and missing spaces after commas. To achieve a higher score, the student should incorporate a broader range of precise, task-specific vocabulary related to spatial descriptions, such as "situated," "converted," "replaced," and "extended," while ensuring accurate spelling and word formation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is severely restricted, consisting almost entirely of a single, run-on sentence structure containing multiple clauses linked by commas. There is a complete lack of proper sentence boundaries and full stops throughout the text. Frequent grammatical errors occur, including missing articles ("in todays cafe"), incorrect verb forms and tenses ("The pie chart illustrate"), and faulty pronoun usage ("that are the sitting area"). Punctuation is virtually nonexistent in terms of sentence separation. To progress, the writer must use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with accurate punctuation, ensuring that ideas are separated into distinct sentences rather than joined together indefinitely.

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