Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-11

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 architectural designs of the cafe before and after the renovation are shown with some critical monumental design changes to the cafe area. The alteration in the architectural design have happened on mass with some enhancements on previously built design and some are fresh notable additions.

The kitchen of the cafe remains on the same location as before but the serving area has been replaced with hot meals section only. Previously, two staff dining rooms are now designated for and named as take away food and coffee bar respectively. The toilets remains has the same old location but the bins placed in front of them are now replaced with recycling bins to have more environmental cautious effects. The tables and chairs inside the cafe are positioned same as before but the remarkable plus here is the Outdoor seating and its importance rises with the placement of barbecue section on the left corner outside the cafe building, which provides closer and aromatic feeling of freshly prepared Barbecue to the customers.

Lastly to conclude the narration for the comparison between before and after cafe revamping, it has got into much modern and attractive look. Moreover, the separation of each section to reduce the waiting and make the process efficient.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes accurately: the kitchen remains in place, the serving counter becomes a hot-meals section, the former staff dining rooms become a takeaway area and coffee bar, and the bin is replaced by recycling bins. You also note the new outdoor seating and barbecue, giving the reader a useful overall sense of the redesign. However, some key features are omitted, especially the new salad bar and the two doors added to the southern wall. The claim that the barbecue is in the “left corner” is imprecise, and comments about reducing waiting and creating an attractive, aromatic experience are not shown by the plans. A more complete, objective account of the spatial changes would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally understandable sequence: it begins with an overview, describes several interior changes, and ends with a concluding comment. Linking expressions such as “Previously” and “Lastly” help signal progression. However, the organisation is not consistently clear because several distinct changes are packed into one long paragraph, while the final paragraph repeats the comparison rather than adding a clearly selected feature. Some connections are also awkward, particularly “Moreover, the separation of each section to reduce the waiting,” which does not form a complete, clearly linked idea. Grouping the information into an overview and separate paragraphs for interior and exterior changes, with straightforward comparisons such as “whereas” and “in addition,” would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “renovation,” “designated,” “recycling bins,” and “outdoor seating,” and the main meaning is usually recoverable. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for describing a plan. Phrases such as “critical monumental design changes,” “alteration … happened on mass,” and “environmental cautious effects” do not communicate the intended ideas naturally. “The importance rises” and “closer and aromatic feeling” are also unsuitable descriptions of the layout. Prefer precise, neutral terms for locations and changes, and avoid adding evaluative language that the diagram does not support. More accurate collocations would make your vocabulary sound clearer and more appropriate to an IELTS map description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and longer sentences, and structures such as “The kitchen … remains … but the serving area has been replaced” show an attempt to compare features within one sentence. However, grammatical control is uneven, especially with agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “The alteration … have happened” has a singular subject with a plural verb, while “The toilets remains” also has incorrect agreement. “The toilets remains has the same old location” combines incompatible verb forms, and the final sentence, “Moreover, the separation of each section to reduce the waiting and make the process efficient,” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Check subject–verb agreement and ensure each sentence has a clear main verb and complete clause.

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