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 diagram illustrates the structure of a college cafe before and after its redesign.

Overall, the cafe has made too much improvement in its current structure as before it did not have any outdoor sitting and barbecue area. Now there is also a takeaway food and coffee bar area by replace the staff dining rooms.

Before redesign the cafe had just indoor sitting but after its redesign now there is a large outdoor sitting area with a barbecue station set besides it.

In contrast, there was

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response only partially addresses the task requirements and is cut off mid-sentence, leading to an incomplete summary of the visual data. Furthermore, the response falls significantly short of the 150-word minimum, containing only 86 words. While the candidate attempts to outline some changes, such as the introduction of the outdoor seating and barbecue area, the overview is overly simplistic, and the information is severely under-developed. To achieve a higher band, the writer must ensure the response meets the minimum word count and provides a fully developed comparison of all key features shown in the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The text shows some basic organizational structure, using an introductory sentence and an overall summary statement. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the abrupt truncation of the response. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes inaccurate, such as using 'as before it did not have' and 'by replace the staff dining rooms'. Paragraphing is also disrupted by the incomplete nature of the writing. To improve, the writer needs to ensure logical sequencing throughout a complete text and use cohesive ties more naturally and accurately to link details and comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice and word formation. Examples include 'outdoor sitting' instead of 'outdoor seating' and the incorrect form 'by replace'. While there are attempts to use vocabulary relevant to the visual data like 'redesign' and 'barbecue station', the lack of precision and recurrent lexical inaccuracies constrain the communication. To move up to a higher band, the candidate should incorporate a wider range of appropriate lexical items and ensure accurate word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with occasional, faulty attempts at complex forms. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that cause difficulty for the reader, such as prepositional and structural errors in 'before redesign the cafe had just indoor sitting' and 'set besides it'. The incomplete ending further highlights a lack of grammatical control over extended discourse. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to demonstrate a greater variety of complex structures with improved accuracy across all sentences.

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

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