Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-12

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 5.0)

The given diagram illustrates the renovation of a college cafe and provides the results of the comparison of the renovation.

The diagram illustrates the difference between the cafe before and after the renovation. It shows only minor changes, such as a new seating area and the addition of new sections. It also shows minor changes in existing sections.

The map shows few changes in the kitchen area, such as the serving area being converted into a hot meals section. A new salad bar is added before the kitchen entrance door. Also, the staff dining area is turned into a takeaway food and cafe bar. The bin is converted into recycling bins. Two new doors are added to the south wall, and a new outdoor seating area is introduced. Moreover, a new Barbecue section is also added outside beside the outdoor seating area. The

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant changes, including the conversion of the serving area to hot meals, the new salad bar, the replacement of the staff dining rooms, recycling bins, and outdoor seating with a barbecue. However, the response only partially summarises the plans: it gives no clear account of what remained unchanged, such as the kitchen, central tables and chairs, and toilets, and the overview calls the changes “minor” without explaining the main pattern of redevelopment. Some details are imprecise, including “before the kitchen entrance door,” which is not a clear description of the salad bar’s position. The response is also 7 words below the required minimum. Develop a fuller overview and include key unchanged features and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: an introduction, a brief overview, and then a list of changes. This gives the reader some organisation, and linking expressions such as “Also” and “Moreover” help connect details. However, the progression is limited because most changes are packed into one long paragraph rather than grouped by location or function. The repeated opening “The diagram illustrates” also adds little, while “It also shows minor changes in existing sections” is vague and does not guide the reader to specific information. The final sentence breaks off at “The,” leaving the response unfinished. Use clearer paragraphing, group related changes, and ensure the final sentence is complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of basic planning vocabulary, including “renovation,” “converted,” “outdoor seating area,” and “recycling bins,” so the main changes are generally understandable. There are also some imprecise or repetitive choices: “results of the comparison of the renovation” is awkward for describing plans, and “minor changes” is repeated without specifying their significance. “Cafe bar” is less precise than the plan’s label “coffee bar,” while “sections” is a general term where the named facilities would be clearer. The vocabulary is adequate for communicating the main points, but greater precision and more natural collocations would improve the description. Prefer concise plan language such as “the plans compare” and name each facility accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use mostly straightforward sentence forms, with some attempts to combine ideas, for example, “The bin is converted into recycling bins” and “Two new doors are added to the south wall, and a new outdoor seating area is introduced.” The meaning is usually recoverable, but control is uneven. The opening phrase “provides the results of the comparison” is grammatically possible but awkwardly constructed, and the final “The” is an incomplete fragment that leaves the response unfinished. There is little variety in clause structures, and several sentences rely on repeated passive forms. Practise combining descriptions with accurate relative or contrast clauses, and proofread for complete sentences and consistent, clear tense choices.

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