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 picture summerise the different between the old cafe map and the new cafe designing.
The facilities and the services has been added in the cafe, as large barbecue area is added by shrinking the main area, as it was not existed before, additionally a small salad bar has been included in the cafe. Furthermore, Take away and the coffee bar has been created beneath the kitchen by replacing the two staff dining rooms where the staff can eat food as new cafe does not have this facility.
The recycling bin was existed before; however, it size has been increased. Nevertheless, serving side has been replaced with the hot meals only which is located near the kitchen.
In the new design of barbecure compartment, has a facility for the customers to be seated in the open air; however, it looks conjusted as only five families or different group of friends can sit at a time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify several important changes, including the new salad bar, the replacement of the staff dining rooms by takeaway and coffee facilities, and the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the recycling bins replaced the single bin, but there is no evidence that their size increased, and the outdoor area is not described as a large barbecue area that shrinks the main café. The claim that only five groups can sit outside is also unsupported; the plan shows four tables. The response would be stronger with a clear overview of the main changes and more precise reporting of the layout, including that the toilets and central seating remain.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has some organisation: it begins with a general statement and groups several changes together, while connectors such as “Furthermore,” “however,” and “Nevertheless” show attempts to link ideas. However, the progression is not consistently clear. The second paragraph moves from recycling bins to the serving counter, and the final paragraph repeats outdoor seating information while introducing an unsupported judgement about congestion. Some linking words also signal contrast where the relationship is not clear. Organise the report into a brief overview followed by paragraphs on changes inside and outside the café, and use simpler, more precise links between each comparison.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “staff dining rooms,” “salad bar,” “hot meals,” and “open air,” so the reader can identify many of the features being compared. However, word choice and spelling errors sometimes make the description difficult to follow. Examples include “summerise,” “different between,” “barbecure compartment,” and “conjusted.” Some phrases are also imprecise: “serving side” does not clearly name the former serving area, and “five families or different group of friends” is not supported by the plan. Choose standard map-description terms such as “serving area,” “outdoor seating area,” and “recycling bins,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt to connect ideas using longer sentences and clauses, but grammatical control is inconsistent, which sometimes obscures the relationships between features. For example, “The facilities and the services has been added” has subject–verb disagreement, while “as large barbecue area is added” is missing an article and has an awkward verb form. In “In the new design of barbecure compartment, has a facility,” the sentence lacks a clear subject and main-clause structure. Articles, plurals, and verb forms also need attention in phrases such as “the coffee bar has been created” and “the recycling bins replaced the bin.” Build accuracy first with clear subject–verb sentences, then combine them using correctly formed clauses.
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