Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The following shows a map of cafe before it was redesigned and how it appears now. Before the reconstruction the cafe had several areas such as the main kitchen with a serving area where all the food and table goes through the hall. In the the large hall are the tables and chairs were placed where all the costumers comes in have their meal. Before it was reconstructed it had one toilet area and one bin along with the staff dining rooms. These were the main features of the cafe before and now the redesigned cafe has expanded its services as well as the design of it.
The Cafe today has its kitchen, toilet, bins and a big hall just like the old one but a better and in a redigned one. Apart from these things the cafe expanded their area as they have now outdoor seating which they didn't have before. Along with the that, it has now a coffee bad and a salad bar as well for the people who prefer different types of coffee and salads, on the other hand they also expanded in their services as well where they have a proper portion of take away food where people can have food on the go. Barbecue section was also the new thing that was added in the map of a new redesigned cafe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the task by attempting to outline both the past layout and current changes of the college cafe, earning a solid mid-level score. Key features such as the kitchen, toilets, and the main seating area are identified, and new additions like the outdoor seating, barbecue, salad bar, and coffee bar are mentioned. However, some aspects are under-developed or imprecise. For instance, the transition of the staff dining rooms into the take-away and coffee bar is somewhat muddled, and the overall reporting lacks a cohesive overview paragraph that summarises the main trends. The description relies heavily on listing features rather than making fully synthesised comparisons between the two plans.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement by dividing the information into a description of the old layout followed by the redesigned layout. However, logical progression is occasionally hindered by mechanical and repetitive cohesive devices, such as the overuse of phrases like 'Before it was reconstructed' and 'Along with the that'. Paragraphing is used to separate the past and present states, but referencing within the paragraphs is sometimes unclear, such as the ambiguous pronoun use in 'where all the costumers comes in have their meal'. While the general direction of the text is understandable, the flow lacks sophisticated linking strategies.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, though it remains somewhat limited and features noticeable lexical and spelling errors that prevent a higher score. Words such as 'costumers' instead of customers, 'redigned', and 'coffee bad' instead of bar detract from the precision of the response. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'reconstructed' and 'expanded its services', but overall word choices are basic and repetitive. While communication is not severely impeded, the presence of these errors places the lexical control firmly within the lower-intermediate range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in verb forms, subject-verb agreement, and articles, such as 'where all the food and table goes', 'In the the large hall', and 'a map of cafe'. Additionally, awkward phrasing like 'The following shows a map of cafe before it was redesigned and how it appears now' highlights structural lapses. Although these errors rarely completely obscure the meaning, their frequency and the faulty execution of complex structures prevent the response from achieving a higher rating.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.