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 illustrates a university cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks these days.

overall, the striking change is cafe add a outdoor areas and changing some parts in inside.

in the kitchen area as it as while serving area change in to hot meals.moreover in middle of cafe staff dining room has convert in two parts which is know as take away food and coffee bar.

in addition left side of the cafe new build a salad bar.however can seen no changes in main areas of tables and chairs.

in right side of cafe the main changes is expanded a recycling bins while not changes in toilet.

if talk about a outdoor side, it is the main changes after the redesigned there are add 5 table for setting or rise the capacity of customer to seat their at same time and enjoying food comfortably.in the outside has added a barbecue Store after the redesigned.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response is 2 words short of the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts task achievement. While the writer manages to cover several key features of the changes—such as the conversion of the staff dining rooms into a take away food and coffee bar, the addition of a salad bar, and the new outdoor seating area—the information presented is somewhat limited and lacks sufficient extension. The overview is overly simplistic, stating simply that "the striking change is cafe add a outdoor areas and changing some parts in inside." Ideas are under-developed, and certain details are imprecise, which prevents the response from moving into higher bands. To improve, the writer should ensure the minimum word count is met, provide a more cohesive overview of the major spatial transformations, and report data with greater completeness and accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text shows some organization, with the writer attempting to group details by spatial location (such as the kitchen area, left side, right side, and outdoor side). However, there is no clear overall progression, and the structuring feels disjointed. Paragraphing is weak, with multiple distinct ideas crammed awkwardly together rather than developed into well-structured paragraphs. Cohesive devices are either inadequate or inaccurate; words like "overall", "moreover", and "however" are used mechanically and often inappropriately in terms of punctuation and context (e.g., lowercase beginnings to sentences and missing commas). Referencing is also occasionally unclear. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to group related information logically, use standard paragraph breaks, and apply cohesive devices more naturally to ensure a smooth flow of ideas throughout the report.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task. The writer relies heavily on basic, repetitive language and terms lifted directly from the prompt (e.g., "cafe", "redesigned", "kitchen area", "tables and chairs"). There are noticeable word choice and word form errors that occasionally impede communication, such as "cafe add a outdoor areas" instead of adding outdoor areas, "staff dining room has convert" instead of converted, and "barbecue Store" instead of area. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are unsuccessful due to poor collocation and morphological inaccuracies. To improve, the student should expand their range of vocabulary, use precise synonyms for describing changes (such as transformed, replaced, or relocated), and pay closer attention to word forms and parts of speech.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response demonstrates a very limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by basic connectors, alongside frequent faulty attempts at complex structures. There are persistent, major errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including missing articles ("in kitchen area", "in right side of cafe"), incorrect verb tenses and passive/active voice choices ("cafe add", "is know as", "has convert", "new build", "there are add 5 table"), and severe punctuation issues such as starting sentences with lowercase letters. These frequent errors cause considerable difficulty for the reader and obscure the meaning in places. To reach a higher band, the writer must master basic sentence construction, improve subject-verb agreement, use correct verb forms, and apply standard punctuation rules.

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

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