Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The map shows how a college cafe was modified before and after, highlighting the major alteration took place during this period.
Overall, the place underwent to considerable redevelopment with several new facilities being introduced and existing areas being modified. While some features such as, kitchen and toilets remained unchanged, the surrounding area experienced substiantial tranformation.
Looking first to the northern part of the plan, the serving area which before includes all food and drinks were being replaced by the hot meals. In Addition, in the east side of the plan, the staff dinning rooms were changed to food delivery and coffee bar for the students. Thereafter, the bin had a increase in quantity while the table a
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response only partially addresses the task requirements and suffers from a significant under-length issue, stopping abruptly at 117 words, which falls well short of the 150-word minimum. While the writer attempts to provide an overview and describe some changes between the two plans, the information presented is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence. Key features such as the outdoor seating area, barbecue, and salad bar are entirely omitted, and some descriptions are inaccurate, such as stating that the staff dining rooms were changed to 'food delivery' instead of 'take away food' and a 'coffee bar'. To reach a higher band, the response must meet the minimum word count, cover all parts of the visual data more thoroughly, and ensure that all reported features are factually correct.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates some logical organisation, attempting an introductory sentence, an overview paragraph, and the beginning of a body paragraph detailing specific changes. However, there is no clear overall progression because the text is incomplete and cuts off abruptly. Cohesive devices are used to some extent, such as 'Overall', 'While', and 'Looking first to', but referencing is sometimes imprecise, and logical links break down as the text ends prematurely. Paragraphing is partially utilized, but the second body paragraph is incomplete. To improve cohesion, the writer needs to complete the response, ensure smooth transitions between all described areas, and maintain a logical flow of ideas throughout a fully developed essay structure.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, with attempts to use less common items such as 'considerable redevelopment', 'substiantial tranformation', and 'unchanged'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, including spelling mistakes like 'substiantial' and 'tranformation', as well as awkward or inaccurate word choices, such as 'underwent to' and referring to take-away food as 'food delivery'. These errors reflect a limited control of word choice and collocation at this level. To achieve a higher band, the writer should expand their lexical range, eliminate spelling errors, and use precise vocabulary that accurately reflects the features shown in the diagrams without misinterpreting labels.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response shows a limited range of sentence structures, with attempts at complex forms that are often faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as incorrect prepositions and verb tense inconsistencies, exemplified by phrases like 'was modified before and after', 'the place underwent to considerable redevelopment', and 'the serving area which before includes all food and drinks were being replaced'. Additionally, punctuation and article usage show frequent slips. To improve, the writer needs to gain better control over basic and complex sentence patterns, ensure correct subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, and reduce the frequency of errors that disrupt the clarity of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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