Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-05

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 chart illustrate the information regarding the design of cafe, before redesign or this time.

Having an overview, the kitchen area is same in past or this time add some barbeque stations or outdoor sitting in new layout of cafe

To begin with, the kitchen area located in north corner, which had providing food and drinks. This area is same in new layout. Before redesign the area of staff dinning room has changed and converted into self service or coffee bar in new cafe. Bin was located in middle of east, but in nowadays bins changed into a recycle bins.

Apart from this, the toilet area was same in both layouts. Newly add salad counter in southern corner. In new layout add some barbeques or outdoor sitting in lower side of south area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task only partially and fails to meet the minimum word count requirement, falling short at 134 words. While the student attempts to highlight several changes between the two plans—such as the kitchen remaining the same, the addition of a salad bar, and the introduction of outdoor seating and a barbecue—the information is presented with limited development. The overview is overly simplistic, and some features are described vaguely or inaccurately, such as the staff dining rooms being converted into 'self service or coffee bar' rather than the specific 'take away food' and 'coffee bar' areas shown on the plans. To reach a higher band, the response must meet the length requirement, provide a clearer and more comprehensive overview, and extend the discussion of the main features with greater precision.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organisation in the response, dividing the information into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, there is no clear overall progression or logical flow between the ideas, making the structure feel disjointed. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inadequately, with repetitive transitional phrases like 'To begin with' and 'Apart from this'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of information lacks cohesion; for instance, details about the kitchen and staff rooms are jumbled together without logical links. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the vague pronoun use and abrupt transitions between the past and present layouts. To improve, the student should ensure a logical sequencing of information, employ a wider and more natural range of cohesive devices, and structure paragraphs around clear thematic groupings.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task, with noticeable lexical errors and awkward phrasing that occasionally impede communication. The student relies heavily on basic or imprecise terms, writing phrases like 'map chart', 'outdoor sitting', and 'recycle bins' instead of more appropriate academic vocabulary such as 'floor plans', 'outdoor seating', and 'recycling bins'. There are also issues with word forms and collocations, such as 'staff dinning room' and 'Newly add salad counter'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are hindered by inaccurate choices. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to build a broader range of functional vocabulary suitable for describing visual data, pay closer attention to word formation, and ensure accurate spelling and collocations throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences, while attempts at more complex structures are frequently faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('in north corner', 'in past'), incorrect prepositions ('in nowadays', 'in lower side'), and tense or verb form inaccuracies ('The map chart illustrate', 'had providing food', 'bins changed'). Punctuation and subject-verb agreement also show consistent errors, such as missing commas and pluralisation issues. These frequent errors can cause difficulty for the reader. To move up to the next band, the student must increase sentence variety, improve control over basic grammar rules including articles and prepositions, and produce a higher proportion of error-free sentences.

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

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