Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-06

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 plans below presents a college cafe before it was redesigned and after it was redesigned.

As an overall , it is clear that the old cafe was redesigned with new outlets and adds others better facilities for customers and guests .In map the kitchen area only not replaced after redesigned and other rest outlets and departments are changed.The serving area like food and drinks are replaced with hot meals.A new section is added in left side and below the hot meals section called salad bar.The staff dining rooms are replaced with take away food and coffee bar sections. The table and chairs are at the same location.

The Bin for waste is replaced with new recycling bins and toilets are at same locations. The new outlet barbecue section is added after redesigned .At the side of barbecue , new outdoor seating area is maintained for Guests and able to seat at least 10 to 15 guests.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses the main parts of the task by reporting the key changes between the two plans, such as the addition of the salad bar, coffee bar, and outdoor seating. However, some aspects are under-developed or lack clarity, such as the imprecise description of the guest capacity in the outdoor area and the somewhat vague referencing of changed outlets. While an overview is attempted, it is awkwardly phrased and blends into the body paragraphs. To reach a higher level, the response would need a clearer, more distinct overview statement and a more fully developed account of all notable alterations without relying on vague assertions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response shows an overall arrangement of information comparing the old and new layouts, but the progression and organisation are frequently faulty. Paragraphing is weak and unorthodox, with the introductory overview inappropriately merged into the first body paragraph and erratic line breaks used throughout. Furthermore, cohesive devices are mechanical or inadequate, with abrupt transitions between sentences like 'The Bin for waste is replaced with new recycling bins and toilets are at same locations.' Referencing is also unclear in places, making the logical flow difficult to follow. Improving paragraph structure and using a wider range of accurate cohesive links would significantly enhance the organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate basic changes such as the 'kitchen', 'serving area', 'salad bar', and 'barbecue'. However, there is a limited range of vocabulary, and attempts to use less common items or precise phrasing lead to inaccuracies and unnatural collocations, such as 'adds others better facilities' and 'other rest outlets'. Word choice errors and awkward phrasing appear throughout the text, though they rarely impede overall communication. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of precise, less common lexical items with greater control over collocation and word formation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors in grammar, punctuation, and articles, such as missing articles ('In map the kitchen area'), incorrect prepositional usage ('at the same location'), and awkward passive constructions ('only not replaced after redesigned'). Punctuation and spacing issues are also present, such as missing spaces after periods. Although these errors rarely impede the overall communication of the message, they occur with enough frequency to prevent the writing from reaching the next band. Incorporating more error-free complex structures and polishing basic grammatical accuracy would improve this criterion.

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