Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-04

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 4.5)

The two plans show the layout of a college cafe's before and after it was designed .

In this layout a big change which is adding outdoor seating with barbecue.The mainly chage is that the staff dinig rooms are converted into take away food and caffe bar.There is also a benfit that the bins are converted into recycling bins which is very useful change in caffe. There also some changings in this strusture.

previously the kitchen is located in the left side including serving area .In the middle there are two staff dining rooms with open table and chairs .In the right side there is a toilets and also bin in little distance.

After the design the map ,there are some changings in it . Firstly in the kitchen theserving area is converted into hot meals . thers is also added a

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response only partially addresses the task requirements. While the student attempts to highlight several key modifications, such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms and the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue, the information is presented in a somewhat disjointed manner. Furthermore, the response fails to reach the minimum word count of 150 words, finishing at 142 words, which negatively impacts the overall completeness of the task. To reach a higher band, the writer must ensure the word count requirement is fully met and provide a more thorough, well-rounded overview of all significant changes shown in the plans without cutting off mid-sentence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The organisation of the text shows some basic structure, separating the introduction from descriptions of the past and present layouts. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression and logical linking between sentences and paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used minimally or repetitively, such as 'In this layout' and 'After the design the map', and the text ends abruptly without a proper conclusion. Paragraphing is fragmented, with very short or broken sections that impede the smooth flow of information. To improve in this area, the student should use a wider variety of cohesive devices more accurately and ensure ideas are grouped into logical, fully developed paragraphs with a clear opening overview and concluding summary.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word formation. Examples include 'dinig' instead of dining, 'caffe bar' instead of coffee bar, 'benfit' instead of benefit, and 'changings' instead of changes. Collocations are also weak, such as 'open table and chairs'. While the student attempts some less common topic-related vocabulary like 'redesigned' and 'outdoor seating', these inaccuracies cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to expand their lexical range, use correct word forms consistently, and eliminate basic spelling mistakes through careful proofreading.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is quite limited, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent errors that occasionally distort meaning. There are persistent issues with verb tenses, articles, and prepositions, such as 'the kitchen is located in the left side', 'there are a toilets', and 'theres is also added a'. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are often faulty or incomplete, as seen in the truncated final sentence. Punctuation and sentence boundaries also need attention. To progress to a higher band, the student must demonstrate better control over basic grammatical structures, ensure subject-verb agreement, and avoid incomplete sentences.

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

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