Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The given task is the pictorial representation of two maps depicting the cafe layout before it was redesigned and the changes that have taken place to the present day.

Overall, the cafe underwent significant redevelopment, with former staff dining rooms being replaced by take away food and coffee bar area. In addition, new outdoor seating area is added along with barbecue section on one side.

To commence with, in the kitchen area in the northwest direction, there was a serving area for all food & drink which is now replaced by place for hot meals. Furthermore, on northeast side there are not many changes done except bin area has now been renamed to recycling bins. In addition, if we move towards the central area of the cafe, staff dining rooms are now converted into the coffee bar and place to take away food. Tables and chairs remain at the same place as they were placed previously.

On the other hand, a salad bar has now been added to the northwest side of the cafe. Lastly, a major redevelopment that can be seen is building a new outdoor seating area in the southward direction along with the barbecue station on one side. This will help to accommodate more number of customers at one time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response satisfies the requirements for Task Achievement by presenting a clear overview of the main changes, such as the redevelopment of staff dining rooms into a take-away and coffee bar, and the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue section. All parts of the task are addressed, and key comparisons are made between the former layout and the current one, including the updated kitchen counter and the addition of the salad bar. The position remains clear throughout the report. To reach the highest bands, the student could provide slightly more detailed comparisons of spatial proportions or layout alterations, ensuring all minor adjustments like the recycling bins are integrated more fluidly into a cohesive analytical narrative rather than listed sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The report demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is divided into logical paragraphs, moving from an introductory overview to specific spatial transformations in the interior and exterior. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'On the other hand' are employed to guide the reader through the comparison, though some transitions feel slightly formulaic or mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different areas of the cafe. To achieve higher coherence bands, the student could enhance the flow of ideas by employing subtler referencing and more varied, less intrusive cohesive links.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating terms like 'pictorial representation', 'redevelopment', 'transformations', and 'accommodate'. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'subward direction', though occasional word-choice and collocation inaccuracies occur, like 'northwest side' used when referring to different sections of the plan. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. To move into a higher lexical band, the student should aim for greater precision in describing spatial orientation and incorporate more sophisticated, less repetitive lexical chunks.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with adequate control over basic structures. Sentences such as 'Overall, the cafe underwent significant redevelopment...' show that the student can handle past and present tenses accurately when contrasting timelines. However, some minor grammatical errors persist, including missing articles ('is added along with barbecue section') and prepositions. These errors rarely impede communication and represent a solid command of grammar for this level. To reach higher bands, the student needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with higher frequency and eliminate minor article and preposition slips entirely.

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