Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The college cafe design illustrates the comparison between after and before the construction.

Before changes, the largest portion covered by tables and chairs for sitting purpose. Furthermore, 2 staff dining rooms placed nearest to the tables and chairs area. In addition, toilets and bin place also available to the lower side. Although, at top of the image kitchen and serving areas was exist.

After changing, kitchen area remain same, but serving area converted to hot meal. On the other hand, staff dinning room changed into take away food and coffee bar. Moreover, Tables and chair portions reduced 50% and rest of area taking by salad bar, barbecue and 5 outdoor seatings. Meanwhile, size of recycling bins increased but toilets size remain the same.

Overall, tables and chair site splits into half of them, in which rest area taking my three new constrution site. rest area remain same but owner take steps to small changes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task only partially and covers the changes in a somewhat limited way. While the student attempts to highlight key alterations such as the conversion of the serving area to hot meals and the addition of the outdoor seating and barbecue, the information is presented with notable inaccuracies regarding spatial relationships and features. For instance, the reference to '5 outdoor seatings' and the claim that the size of recycling bins increased do not accurately reflect the visual data. Furthermore, some ideas are underdeveloped and lack clarity, such as the sweeping statement regarding the reduction of tables and chairs. To reach a higher level, the response needs to provide a more accurate, fully developed, and balanced overview of the main features and significant changes shown in the plans without misinterpreting the visual evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organization with an introduction, body paragraphs detailing specific changes, and a brief concluding summary, but the response lacks clear overall progression. Cohesive devices are frequently inadequate, inaccurate, or repetitive, relying heavily on basic transitional phrases like 'Before changes', 'After changing', and 'On the other hand'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the conclusion where sentences like 'tables and chair site splits into half of them' make the logical flow difficult to follow. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal logical links within paragraphs need strengthening. To improve, the student should use a wider variety of cohesive ties more naturally and ensure that each sentence flows logically into the next to create a smoother, more unified progression of ideas throughout the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word formation that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include phrasing like 'after and before the construction', 'staff dinning room', and 'three new constrution site'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'redesigned' and 'recycling', but these attempts are often marred by spelling slips or awkward grammatical forms. To achieve a higher standard, the writer needs to expand their lexical range beyond basic descriptive words, pay closer attention to standard collocations relating to maps and plans (such as 'relocated', 'transformed', or 'demolished'), and eliminate frequent spelling and word-choice errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic subject-verb patterns. Attempts at more complex structures are often faulty, leading to frequent grammatical errors. There are persistent issues with verb tenses and forms, prepositions, articles, and pluralization, as seen in examples like 'serving areas was exist', 'tables and chairs for sitting purpose', and 'rest of area taking by'. These frequent errors frequently distract the reader and disrupt the fluency of the text. To progress, the student must incorporate a wider mix of complex sentence forms, improve control over passive voice constructions, and ensure greater accuracy in basic grammatical agreements and prepositions.

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