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)

The rendered maps depict the information about a college cafe before redesign and how it look at present.

Overall, there many changes has been taken place. One of the major change has been taken it that new addition of salad bar, outdoor seating area, and staff dining rooms have been removed.

In detail, cafe before redesign on the northern side there was a kitchen, and on the opposite direction there was serving area, which included all food and drinks. After that, in the center of the cafe there were tables and chairs for the visitors, and on the upper side of the cafe there were staff dining rooms. In last, on the right hand side the toilets were sitiutated and near them there was bin.

In the case of Today, the kitchen is still there, serving area convert into hot meals, and on the left hand side the salad bar is newly added. Thereafter, the staff rooms are demolished, and take away food and coffee bar is constructed. Moreover, the barbecue introduce and in front of that there is outdoor seating area also added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main transformation clearly: the kitchen remains, the former staff dining rooms are replaced by takeaway and coffee facilities, and new salad and outdoor seating areas are introduced. The overview also selects several important changes, so the response addresses the task. Most of the main internal features are described, but some details are less fully covered: for example, the two new doors on the southern wall and the recycling bins replacing the single bin are omitted. The description of the barbecue and outdoor seating is also vague, and “in front of that” does not clearly establish their positions. To strengthen the report, compare the plans more precisely and include the key changes to the entrance and waste facilities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to a description of the original café and then the current layout. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. However, some linking expressions feel mechanical or do not clarify the relationship between details: “After that,” “In last,” and “Thereafter” are used to list locations rather than show meaningful sequence. The phrase “in front of that” also leaves the barbecue and seating arrangement unclear. Grouping features by area—such as the northern rooms, central seating, and southern outdoor additions—and using direct comparisons would make progression smoother. The paragraphing is serviceable, but the overview could be more clearly separated from the detailed comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “northern side,” “in the center,” “newly added,” and “demolished,” and the reader can generally understand the changes. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which limits precision. For instance, “the information about” is an awkward way to introduce maps, “serving area convert into hot meals” does not express the change naturally, and “the barbecue introduce” is not an appropriate construction. “Staff rooms” is also less precise than the plan’s “staff dining rooms.” Aim for accurate map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “was replaced by,” “was converted into,” and “was added.” Check spelling as well, including “situated.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the use of past and present descriptions shows an effort to distinguish the two plans. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are noticeable and sometimes make relationships between features difficult to follow. Examples include “there many changes has been taken place,” “how it look at present,” and “serving area convert into hot meals.” The sentence beginning “Overall” needs a complete, correctly formed clause, while “the barbecue introduce” also requires a suitable passive verb form. Practise consistent past tense for the former plan and present tense for the current one, and check subject–verb agreement and articles when revising. More accurate control of these patterns would make your comparisons clearer.

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

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