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 maps illustrate the comparison with before and after the high school canteen and how it looks now after reconstruction.
Overall, there are several developments in the cafe after reconstruction, many new amenities are added.The number of staff has also increased, while some recycle tools are being added to the cafe.While, the cafe before reconstruction had several drawbacks like not having the outdoor sitting area and other facilities for the people want to carry food with them.
Before the reconstruction it was not lookin like a modern cafe .They had only indoor seating area,However, there was not takeway facility and the most interesting service of salad bar was also missing in the cafe. The big problem in the cafe before redesign was that they had only one door for entrance and exit and they had simple dustbin without recycling facility.
On the other hand the newly contructed cafe is according the demand of people because the people who want to eat and drink in open sky can sit outdoor and enjoy the fantastic food, While several other developments can be notice for instance salad bar and take away facility for those who want take food with them.In addition, they have build new door which has make acces very to toilet and indoor area.The one most positive developmt is the new cafe has recycling bin.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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 reporting the main features and making comparisons between the two plans. An overview is attempted, noting key developments such as new amenities and outdoor spaces. However, some details are inaccurate or unsupported by the visual data, such as claiming that the number of staff has increased. Furthermore, the selection of features is sometimes uneven, with certain areas left underdeveloped or relying on vague generalisations rather than precise reporting of the spatial changes shown in the diagrams. To reach a higher level, the response needs to maintain greater accuracy when reporting data and ensure all key features are fully and correctly elaborated.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The text presents a coherent overall arrangement with a discernible introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. Logical progression is attempted, though it is occasionally hindered by mechanical or repetitive cohesive devices, such as the frequent use of 'reconstruction' and repetitive transitional phrases like 'before the reconstruction'. Paragraphing is used to separate the past layout from current features, but referencing between sentences is not always smooth or clear, which disrupts the flow of information. To improve, the writer should employ a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices and ensure smoother transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating basic ideas about the layout changes, such as 'indoor seating', 'salad bar', and 'take away facility'. However, the range is limited and there are notable word choice, collocation, and spelling errors, such as 'takeway', 'contructed', 'acces', and 'developmt'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, but these attempts are often marred by inaccuracy or awkward phrasing, such as 'eat and drink in open sky' or 'recycle tools'. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to expand their lexical range, use more precise academic vocabulary, and eliminate spelling and word-formation errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing displays a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, though attempts at complex structures frequently contain errors. There are noticeable mistakes in verb forms, tenses, article usage, and prepositions, such as 'was not lookin like', 'is according the demand', and 'has make acces very to toilet'. Punctuation is also erratic in places, with missing commas and run-on phrasing. While these errors rarely impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to restrict the response to this level. To progress, the writer must exercise better control over grammatical structures, improve subject-verb agreement, and ensure greater accuracy in sentence construction.
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