Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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.

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The two plans illustrate the changes have done to the college cafe, comparing its layout before and after redesign.

Overall, Overall, several significant changes were made, including an increase in seating capacity and the addition of new features. The cafe was reorganised by diving the space in to separate sections.

Looking at the original layout, the kitchen area includes serving. Followed by two rooms for staff dining and one entry to the cafe. Where on the right side of the plan contains a bin and toilets.

However, after redesign the kitchen contains both kitchen and hot meals. While staff dining rooms are replaced by a take away food section and a coffee bar. There are more entries for the cafe and included new features like saled bar in the inside the cafe. Where the protion of the bins and the toilets was increased. The cafe now has outdoor seating with barbecue.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the college cafe before and after its redesign, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6 while showing elements of the higher band. You provide a clear overall summary of the key transformations, such as the increased seating capacity and the addition of new sections like the salad bar and outdoor seating. However, some aspects of your description are under-developed or lack precision. For instance, stating that 'the portion of the bins and the toilets was increased' is inaccurate according to the visual data, as the toilets remained in the same location and only the bins were updated to recycling bins. To reach a higher level, ensure that all detailed comparisons are fully accurate and clearly supported by the visual evidence without misinterpreting spatial changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

Your response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the information logically, starting with an introductory overview, followed by the original layout, and concluding with the changes. Paragraphing is used to separate these ideas, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty. The repetition of the word 'Overall' at the beginning of the second paragraph is awkward, and transitional phrases like 'Where on the right side' and 'Where the protion' create awkward referencing links that disrupt the natural flow of ideas. To improve, work on using more varied and accurate cohesive devices to connect your sentences smoothly, ensuring that referencing pronouns and relative clauses clearly point to the intended parts of the map.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'layout', 'redesign', 'reorganised', and 'features'. This sits comfortably within the expectations for this level. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, incorrect word choices, and spelling mistakes that occasionally impede precision. For example, writing 'changes have done' instead of 'changes made', 'diving' instead of 'dividing', 'saled bar' instead of 'salad bar', and 'protion' instead of 'portion' detract from the quality of the response. Furthermore, phrases like 'the kitchen contains both kitchen and hot meals' lack natural collocation. To achieve a higher band, you should expand your control of less common vocabulary, check your spelling carefully, and ensure your word forms and collocations are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms, demonstrating basic control over grammar. You successfully use structures such as 'While staff dining rooms are replaced by...' and 'The cafe now has outdoor seating...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense and voice issues ('changes have done'), incorrect prepositional usage ('in to separate sections', 'in the inside the cafe'), and missing articles or pluralisation errors ('entry to the cafe', 'more entries for the cafe'). These errors reflect typical characteristics of a Band 5 while approaching elements of higher control. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structures, ensuring correct verb voices, and refining prepositions and articles to make your writing more accurate.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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