Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02
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 diagrams illustrate the University cafe how it looks in past or how it looks now.
Overall, the main feature is now the cafe is upgraded with new design. Before it was small and not properly developed.
At the begin, when cafe was redesign then it was not a good match for a cafe because cafe need presentation or in past north west side it has kitchen or serving area on middle there was a staff corner or on middle left side corner there was a tables and chairs or South east on write middle side there was a toilet or bin.
Moreover, todays cafe is well furnished or developed like although kitchen or toilet is same or bin is upgraded but some new place also added such as on left and side barbeque or salad bar furthermore outside the cafe outdoor sitting area is also available.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response only partially addresses the task requirements. While the student attempts to present an overview and mention some changes between the two plans, the information is very limited and under-developed. For example, the description of the previous layout lacks precision, relying on vague phrases like 'north west side it has kitchen or serving area'. Key features such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms into a take away food area and coffee bar are missed, and the spatial relationships are frequently confused. Furthermore, the response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, falling slightly short at 148 words. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to provide a fully developed overview and accurately select, report, and compare all the main features of the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text shows some organization, but there is no clear overall progression or logical structure. The response is divided into four very brief paragraphs, but the connections between sentences are weak and repetitive. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, such as 'At the begin, when cafe was redesign then...', which disrupts the flow of information. Referencing is also unclear in places, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial comparisons between the past and present layouts. To improve Coherence and Cohesion, the student should use a wider variety of accurate cohesive links and ensure that ideas are sequenced logically, grouping related spatial features together rather than listing them randomly.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student relies on basic, repetitive terms and attempts some less common vocabulary with noticeable inaccuracy, such as 'outdoor sitting area' instead of 'outdoor seating area' and 'barque' or 'barbeque' spelled inconsistently. There are also frequent word choice and collocation issues, such as 'todays cafe is well furnished or developed'. While meaning is generally conveyed, these vocabulary limitations and errors cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, the writer must incorporate a more precise range of functional vocabulary related to architectural changes, spatial descriptions, and comparative reporting, while reducing errors in word formation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions or faulty dependent clauses. When the student attempts complex sentence forms, they are frequently ungrammatical, as seen in 'The given diagrams illustrate the University cafe how it looks in past or how it looks now.' There are frequent errors in verb tenses, prepositions, articles, and punctuation throughout the text, which cause strain and difficulty for the reader. To improve in this area, the writer needs to practice forming accurate complex sentences using subordinate clauses, improve control over tense consistency when describing past versus present states, and refine basic grammatical structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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