Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The map presents a region of the college Cafe prior to and after the remodelling.

Overall, staff dining rooms have been renovated to take food and coffee bar. There is also outdoor seating where barbecue is served.

Prior to the renovation, there is a kitchen on the back followed by serving area for all kind of food and drinks. Main area was divided in four sections. In one area, it was used for staff dining room, the majority of area was used for tables and chairs. There is a place for dustbin and toilet opposite to it.

After the development, the kitchen is kept as it was before hot meals were found in the area of serving. The dustbin has been changed to recycling bin. There is also a salad bar opposite to the bin which is new. Staff dining is now used for takeaway food and coffee bar propose. There are also outdoor seating which is map.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to cover the main features of the two maps, noting general changes such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms and the addition of outdoor seating, a salad bar, and a barbecue. However, the development of information remains limited and somewhat repetitive. Certain details are partially under-developed or imprecise, such as stating 'staff dining rooms have been renovated to take food and coffee bar' rather than clearly explaining how the northern rooms were replaced by a takeaway section and coffee bar. While an overview is attempted, it lacks comprehensive coverage and precision, keeping the response at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays some overall organization with attempts to structure the response into introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. However, there is a lack of clear progression, and the logical flow between sentences and paragraphs is occasionally disrupted. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or somewhat inaccurately, such as abrupt transitions between the description of the past layout and current features. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion within paragraphs can be repetitive, leading to an overall disjointed arrangement of information.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, but the range is limited and repetition occurs frequently, such as repeating 'area', 'dining', and 'bins'. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, including 'take food', 'coffee bar propose', and 'outdoor seating which is map', which occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are constrained by inaccuracy in collocation and word form, reflecting a restricted lexicon suitable for this band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies on a limited range of sentence structures, with attempts at complex sentences often resulting in faulty grammar or awkward phrasing. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('Prior to the renovation, there is a kitchen...'), missing articles, and preposition errors ('in the area of serving'). These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader and demonstrate a lack of consistent control over complex grammatical forms.

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

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