Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-03
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)
in the part of 'cafe now' , salad bar,barbecue ,outdoor seating, take away food counter and coffee bar were added as compare to cafe before redesigning, before redesigning cafe has a large staff dining room a serving area which had all food and drinks over here it has a one bin on the other hand in cafe today have recycle bins which means more than one as compare to cafe redesigning in cafe today now have a 2 doors in it which is going open to forward to seating area which is definitely means one is here for going to seating and other is for exit definitely,the main tables and the chairs area is still in the center but its slightly smaller externally a large outdoor seating area than before the redesigned overall the cafe has undergone significant development finally this layout makes the is cafe more modern and spacious.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response attempts to cover both the past and present layouts of the college cafe, noting several key additions such as the salad bar, barbecue, and outdoor seating. However, the information is presented in a somewhat disjointed manner, and certain comparisons lack precision, such as the observation that the central seating area is 'slightly smaller'. The overview is very brief and placed at the very end of the response rather than integrated naturally or set up as a clear introductory summary. To improve, the candidate needs to ensure all major spatial changes are systematically compared and supported with a clearer overview of the main overall transformations.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The text suffers significantly from a lack of proper paragraphing, as it is written as one long, continuous block of text without clear logical divisions or proper punctuation boundaries. Cohesive devices are minimal and mechanical, often relying on repetitive transition phrases like 'in the part of' and 'as compare to'. There is no clear progression of ideas from an introduction to body paragraphs and a conclusion, making the text difficult to follow. To achieve a higher band, the response must be organised into distinct paragraphs with a logical flow of information, utilising a wider variety of accurate and natural cohesive ties to link spatial comparisons smoothly.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, successfully incorporating specific terms from the visual prompt such as 'salad bar', 'barbecue', 'outdoor seating', and 'coffee bar'. However, the range is limited, and there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'as compare to' instead of 'compared to' or 'in comparison with', and 'going open to forward to' which lacks natural phrasing. Spelling is generally acceptable for common words, but overall control is basic and repetitive. To improve, the writer should incorporate less common lexical items related to architectural changes, spatial transformation, and precise descriptions of location.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The grammar demonstrates a limited range of structures, relying mostly on repetitive clauses strung together with coordinating conjunctions or comma splices. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('cafe has' versus 'cafe redesigning in cafe today now have'), missing articles ('in cafe today have recycle bins', 'has a one bin'), and faulty prepositional use. These errors frequently cause difficulty for the reader and impede smooth communication. To move up, the writer needs to demonstrate a better mix of simple and complex sentence forms while maintaining control over basic verb agreements, plurals, and sentence boundaries.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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