Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-07

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 the renovation of the college cafe from a simple to a more practical design.

Initially, the kitchen and the serving area were adjacent to each other, which can cause a lot of issues like, accedent between cafe staff, moving and preparing the food at one place etc. What makes it better in the redesigned map is , u can see a clear two separate portions in the kitchen, in ne design they move the hot meal section from inside the kitchen to outside where earlier their was serving area, on another side if u look at the staff dining rooms, first of all they are in the middle of the main cafeteria where people can sit and have some me time and relax. What in the new map they did is they utalise the space very elegantly buy replace it with the take away and coffe bar. Also today cafe it way better organise in all aspects like if u look at the the barbecure and the salad bar sections, they move it out from the kitchen and organise it earlier there was onnly one kitchen handling all the operations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from the original café to a redesigned, more service-oriented space, and mention several relevant features, including the hot-meal counter, takeaway and coffee areas, salad bar, and outdoor facilities. However, the account is only partially accurate and does not clearly summarise the main changes. For example, the hot-meal counter replaces the former serving area; it is not moved from inside the kitchen, and the staff dining rooms were along the north wall rather than in the middle of the café. The barbecue and outdoor seating are new additions, not facilities moved out of the kitchen. Include a concise overview and describe the unchanged kitchen, central seating and toilets alongside the key additions and replacements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic sequence from the original layout to the redesign, and phrases such as “Initially” and “in the redesigned map” help signal comparison. However, the response is largely one long paragraph, with ideas joined into extended sentences by repeated phrases such as “what makes it better” and “on another side.” This makes the progression difficult to follow, and some references—such as “they” and “it”—are unclear. Organise the report into an introduction, a brief overview, and separate paragraphs for the original layout and the main changes. Use clear links such as “By contrast” or “In addition” selectively, and make sure each sentence focuses on one or two related features.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt some task-relevant vocabulary, including “renovation,” “serving area,” “take away,” and “outdoor seating,” and you use comparison language to discuss the redesign. However, spelling errors and informal or imprecise expressions noticeably weaken clarity: “accedent,” “utalise,” “coffe,” and “barbecure” are examples, while “me time” and “way better” are too conversational for an academic report. Some word choices also misrepresent the plan, such as saying facilities were “move[d] out from the kitchen.” Aim for accurate, neutral terms for locations and changes, and check spelling carefully. A more precise vocabulary range would help you describe what was replaced, added, and retained.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas using clauses, for example in “What makes it better in the redesigned map is…” and “if u look at…,” but these longer constructions are often faulty or incomplete. Tense and agreement errors include “they move” and “they are,” where past forms are needed to describe the redesign, as well as “it way better organise.” Articles and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent, and commas are used where full stops would make the meaning clearer. These frequent errors sometimes make relationships between features difficult to understand. Practise writing shorter, complete sentences with consistent past tense for changes and present tense for the current layout, then add more complex structures once those patterns are secure.

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