Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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 two floor plans illustrate the layout changes of a university cafe before its renovation and its current desgin.

Overall, it is clear that the cafe modernized to include variety of dishes. Additionally, the major change was seating which relocated outside the cafe. However, kitchen and toilets space was either reduced or reconstructed to make room.

Meanwhile, The old single counter was expanded into multiple specific food counters (e.g., hot meals counter, coffee counter). Additionally, the staff dining rooms are renovated to take away food and coffee bar. They extended the size of bin and renamed to recycling bin.

We can see that, the barbecue is build outside the cafe with large number of seating capacity. Additiionally, the salad bar counter is build inside the cafe and it serves drinks. The tables and chairs remained same, inside the cafe. Howerver, a complete new seating area is provided for barbeue and for staff members.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall shift towards more food options and outdoor seating, and correctly note that the kitchen, toilets and central tables remain. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the plans do not show the kitchen or toilets being reduced or reconstructed, and the recycling bins are not shown as larger. The salad bar is described as serving drinks, which is not stated in the plan. The outdoor seating is for café customers; there is no indication that it is for staff. The comparison of the former staff dining rooms with the new takeaway and coffee-bar sections is relevant, but the account would be stronger with a clearer, accurate overview and more precise reporting of the main changes, including the new southern doors and barbecue location.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs describing changes. This helps the reader follow the general comparison, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Additionally” and “Meanwhile” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, progression within the detail paragraphs is not always clear: the discussion moves from counters to bins, then to outdoor seating and back to the interior. “Additionally” is repeated, while “Meanwhile” does not clearly signal a contrast. Some references are also difficult to follow, such as “They extended the size of bin,” where the subject is unclear. Grouping interior changes together and then describing the outdoor area would create a more coherent sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “floor plans,” “layout changes,” “renovation,” “counter,” “recycling bin” and “seating area.” These terms make the general subject clear, and some attempts at more specific language are useful. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “modernized to include variety of dishes” is vague, “seating which relocated outside” is not a natural expression, and “seating capacity” does not describe the plan’s tables and chairs precisely. There are also spelling errors, including “desgin,” “Additiionally,” “Howerver” and “barbeue.” More precise verbs and consistent spelling would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including “Overall, it is clear that…” and a sentence using “which.” The main message is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the cafe modernized” needs a passive form (“was modernised”), while “seating which relocated” is missing an auxiliary verb. In “the barbecue is build,” the verb form is incorrect, and “the tables and chairs remained same” needs an article before “same.” Capitalisation is inconsistent after sentence breaks, as in “Meanwhile, The old…” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are mostly manageable, but more accurate verb forms, articles and sentence construction are needed for clearer reporting.

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