Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 following map illustrate the comparison of the college cafe before and after redesigning .

The cafe map shows us that there are major changing in the redesiging the cafe . There is a lot more stuff added for specifc things like hot meals , take away , and the coffee bar , salad bar including a much larger space for sitting .

At first if we look on the map of the old cafe before redesigning , we will see that there the kitchen on the north west side of the map and below that we that there is servering area for all foods and drinks And then , if we look at the north east side there is two rooms for staff dining and in the made there are several table and chairs and a bin on the east and , toilets are below that

Now if we see the map after redesigning if the cafe we notice that the kitchen is on the same spot but area of serveing changed to specific hot meal place , and the two rooms of staff dining area is now for take away food , coffee bar . There is also a noticeable thing added to the section of tables and chairs like if we see on the north west side there is salad bar and Barbecue . After that there is much larger outdoor sitting and the toilets and bin spot are exactly the as before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main change from staff dining rooms to customer food and drink facilities, and correctly note that the kitchen and toilets remain in place. The response also mentions the new outdoor seating, so it addresses the key before-and-after comparison. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the barbecue is outside to the south-west, not on the north-west side, and the recycling bins remain by the eastern wall rather than simply a “bin spot.” The claim of a “much larger space for sitting” is not clearly supported; the main indoor seating area remains, with outdoor seating added. A clearer overview and more precise reporting of the new features would make the account more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall sequence: it introduces the plans, describes the old café, and then moves to the redesigned version. This helps the reader follow the comparison. However, progression within sentences is often difficult to track, particularly in “At first if we look on the map…” and “Now if we see the map after redesigning if the cafe.” Repeated conversational transitions such as “if we look” and “After that” do not clearly show how features relate spatially. Paragraphing is also limited, with the description presented as long blocks. Organise the response into a concise overview followed by separate, logically ordered descriptions of the original and current layouts, using clear location-based links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “kitchen,” “staff dining,” “take away,” “coffee bar,” and “outdoor sitting,” so the reader can identify many of the features. However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate, such as “servering area,” “redesiging,” “specific hot meal place,” and “much larger outdoor sitting.” Spelling errors, including “specifc,” “redesiging,” and “serveing,” are noticeable and sometimes make the description less fluent to read. Aim for precise map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “serving counter,” “designated area for hot meals,” and “outdoor seating area.” Check spelling and avoid repeating general words such as “thing” and “stuff.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas using clauses and time references, for example, “if we look at the map of the old cafe” and “if we see the map after redesigning.” However, many sentences contain errors in sentence construction, agreement, articles, and punctuation, which can make relationships between features unclear. Examples include “The following map illustrate,” “there is two rooms,” and “the toilets and bin spot are exactly the as before.” Some sentences also run together, as in the long description beginning “At first if we look…,” with inconsistent capitalisation and comma use. Practise accurate simple comparison sentences first, then add subordinate clauses. For example: “The kitchen remains in the north-west, while the former staff rooms have become a takeaway area and a coffee bar.”

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