Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-08

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)

These two maps of the college cafe demonstrate the new features of the cafe. They compare the main features of the old and the new building of the cafe.

Overall, many features be replaced by new facilities. Outdoor sitting and barbecue were added in the new building of the cafe. Coffee bar and take away facility be constructed above the table and chairs in the cafe.

The kitchen remained at the same place in both plans of the cafe. In old cafe, there was a serving area of all food and drinks but in today's cafe this place builds for hot meals. In the centre of the cafe, there was a table and the chairs. Above that, there were staff dining rooms. At this place in redesigned cafe, there was a coffee bar and the take away food. Salad bar was included in today's cafe on the west side of the cafe.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the kitchen remaining in place, the former serving area becoming a hot-meals counter, the new coffee bar and takeaway section, and the addition of a salad bar. Your overview also notes outdoor seating and a barbecue, giving the reader a broad sense of the redesign. However, the comparison is incomplete: the response does not describe the recycling bins replacing the bin, the toilets remaining in the same corner, or the new southern doors and outdoor tables. The statement that the coffee bar and takeaway facility are “above” the seating area is also imprecise. To strengthen the report, cover these key changes and describe their locations more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and a paragraph describing specific features. The sequence from the kitchen and serving area to the central seating and northern facilities is generally understandable. However, the progression is limited because the final paragraph stops before covering several major changes, particularly the eastern and southern parts of the plan. Some linking is also repetitive: “In old cafe,” “In the centre,” and “Above that” create a list-like effect rather than a fully developed comparison. Use clearer contrasts such as “whereas” and “while,” and organise details by location or by what stayed the same versus what changed. This would make the relationships between the two plans easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “remained,” “replaced,” “constructed,” and “west side,” and the main changes are usually understandable. However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive. “Outdoor sitting” is less natural for this context than “outdoor seating,” while “new building of the cafe” suggests a new building rather than a redesigned interior. “This place builds for hot meals” is also an awkward way to describe the change, and “table and the chairs” does not clearly convey the general seating area. Aim for precise plan vocabulary such as “counter,” “facility,” “located,” and “converted into,” and vary repeated references to “cafe” and “place.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer comparisons, and several sentences communicate their meaning clearly, such as “The kitchen remained at the same place in both plans.” However, errors in verb forms, agreement and articles are noticeable. For example, “many features be replaced” needs a correctly formed passive (“many features were replaced”), and “facility be constructed” has the same problem. “In old cafe” and “in today's cafe” need articles, while “there was a table and the chairs” has a number mismatch with the intended general seating area. The sentence “In this place in redesigned cafe, there was…” also needs clearer article use and tense control. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions and passive forms while retaining your attempts at complex comparisons.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.