Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

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 given diagrams depicts the changes made in school canteen while comparing the before and after versions and which one looks good.

overall the cafe experienced major renovations and addition of some new sections lke barbecue, salad bars and much more. subsequently providing a better place to enjoy and relax.

the drastic changes were seen to be in the staff dining rooms which are now replaced with food take away and coffee bar area meanwhile the serving area has now become the hot meals. Moreover, the table and chairs ,toilets and kitchen were remained same in both models however the bin area has same location but just occupying more space.

additionally in the new cafe there is an outdoor sitting which was not available in the old one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall redesign and several key changes, including the former staff dining rooms becoming takeaway and coffee-bar areas, the serving counter becoming a hot-meals counter, and the addition of outdoor seating. However, the account is brief and leaves out important features shown in the plans, especially the salad bar and barbecue, as well as the new southern doors and the recycling bins. The claim that the bin area occupies more space is not supported by the plan: it is relabelled as recycling bins in the same position. The overview that the café is a “better place” is evaluative rather than a description of the main changes. The response is also 22 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall sequence: an introduction, an overview, and then details about changes and retained features. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “additionally” help signal relationships between points. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the final sentence introduces outdoor seating after the main comparison without explaining its relationship to the other changes, and several details are compressed into one long sentence. The opening phrase “while comparing the before and after versions” is also awkward and does not clearly frame the comparison. Use separate, logically grouped paragraphs—for example, changes inside the café followed by additions outside—and connect each comparison explicitly. This would make the organisation more coherent and reduce the impression of a list.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “renovations,” “replaced,” “serving area,” and “outdoor sitting,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited, and several choices are imprecise or informal for an IELTS report. “School canteen” is less accurate than “college café,” while “which one looks good” and “a better place to enjoy and relax” express personal judgement rather than neutral description. There are also spelling and word-form errors, such as “lke,” “take away” used as a noun modifier, and “sitting” for a seating area. Aim for precise plan vocabulary and accurate labels, such as “takeaway counter,” “outdoor seating,” and “recycling bins.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some complex structures, including “while comparing…” and a sentence beginning “Moreover,” but control is inconsistent and the range remains limited. Errors occur in basic sentence formation and agreement: “The given diagrams depicts” should use a plural verb, and “the table and chairs, toilets and kitchen were remained same” has an incorrect passive construction and missing article. The opening sentence is also awkwardly structured, while the overview begins with a lowercase “overall” after a full stop. These problems sometimes make relationships between ideas harder to follow. Practise accurate simple comparison sentences first, then add controlled clauses such as “while” or “whereas”; check subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb forms during proofreading.

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