Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Overall, the café has experienced several changes, including the addition of new food and drink facilities and an outdoor seating area. Some existing areas have also been replaced with new facilities.

Before the renovation, the café had a kitchen and a serving area for food and drinks in the upper-left corner. There were also two staff dining rooms in the middle of the building. Most of the remaining space was used for tables and chairs. A bar was located on the right-hand side, while the toilets were in the bottom-right corner.

In the current layout, the kitchen remains in the same position, but the serving area has been changed into a hot meals section. The two staff dining rooms have been replaced by a takeaway food area and a coffee bar. In addition, a salad bar has been added along the left wall, and recycling bins have been placed on the right side.

Another major change is the addition of a barbecue area and outdoor seating at the bottom of the café. These new facilities provide more options for customers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign. A clear overview is provided at the beginning, noting the addition of new food facilities and outdoor seating. Key transformations, such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms into a takeaway area and coffee bar, and the introduction of a salad bar and barbecue, are accurately reported and supported with relevant comparisons. The ideas are extended well throughout the description, ensuring that the visual data is interpreted clearly and logically without any significant omissions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the response. The information is divided into sensible paragraphs, moving from an introductory overview to the past layout, then to the current layout, and finally concluding with major additional changes. Cohesive devices are used appropriately to connect ideas and guide the reader smoothly from one section of the cafe to another. Referencing between the past and present states is managed well, contributing to a coherent overall arrangement that meets the expectations of this level.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items related to architectural changes and food service facilities, such as 'redesigned', 'renovation', 'layout', and 'facilities'. Word choices are generally appropriate and communication is clear throughout. While there are a few minor instances where word choice or collocation could be more refined or sophisticated—such as describing the addition of outdoor seating—the vocabulary used demonstrates sufficient flexibility and precision to convey the intended meaning effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures alongside simple forms. There is a frequent occurrence of error-free sentences, showing good control over grammar and punctuation. Tenses are handled appropriately, shifting accurately from the past simple tense used to describe the original layout ('had', 'were', 'was') to the present simple tense used for current features ('remains', 'have been replaced', 'provide'). Grammatical patterns, articles, and prepositions are mostly managed well, and any minor slips do not impede communication.

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