Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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 ideas indicate a college cafe before it was rearanged and how it looks now.

Overall, the diagrams illustrates that design for college cafe, while the before redesign is very simple and only few things showned in map. But today many things added in the map, therefore it look like a modern design.

At the beginning, before redesigning map is simple, whereas a lot of space available inside the cafe. In the new design cafe there are much more sitting space inside and out side the cafe, also added barbecue point out side the cafe. In addition, old map have two rooms inside the cafe both are staff dining rooms, after that these rooms are changed one is take away food and other is coffee bar.

In contrast, previous design shows kitchen and serving area also a bin, whereas in new map recycling bin shows in right side but in left side salad bar. In this latest map there are two doors added in the outdoor seating area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main contrast between the simpler original café and the more developed current layout, and you report several accurate changes: the staff dining rooms become takeaway and coffee-bar areas, the bin is replaced by recycling bins, and outdoor seating with a barbecue is added. This gives the response a relevant overview and covers the task’s central transformation. Some details, however, are unclear or incomplete. For example, “much more sitting space inside” is not supported by the plan: the central tables-and-chairs area remains, while the new seating is outside. You also omit the hot-meals counter and the new salad bar’s position, and the statement about two doors “in the outdoor seating area” misplaces them; they are in the south wall and lead outside. More precise reporting would strengthen the overview and comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by two paragraphs comparing features. The contrast markers “whereas,” “In addition,” and “In contrast” help signal relationships between the plans. However, progression is sometimes mechanical, and the final paragraph groups several separate changes without clearly guiding the reader through the layout. References such as “these rooms” are understandable, but “after that” does not clearly express the relationship between the old and new uses. The overview also repeats the idea that the new design has more features without identifying the most important spatial changes. Organise the body by location or by unchanged and changed features, and use clearer links such as “along the north wall” and “by contrast” to make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “staff dining rooms,” “take away food,” “coffee bar,” “recycling bin,” and “outdoor seating,” so the reader can identify several features. However, the range is limited and some word choices or forms are inaccurate, which makes parts of the description less precise. “Sitting space” is less suitable than “seating,” while “barbecue point” is an awkward description of the designated barbecue area. There are also spelling errors in “rearanged” and “showned,” and repeated use of general words such as “map,” “things,” and “design.” Use more precise plan vocabulary, including “area,” “counter,” “located,” and “converted into,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons with “whereas” and “In contrast,” and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “the diagrams illustrates” has a plural subject with a singular verb, and “it look like” should agree with “it.” Phrases such as “before redesigning map” and “old map have” also lack grammatical elements or use an incorrect verb form. Some long sentences combine several ideas without clear punctuation, as in the sentence beginning “In the new design cafe.” Practise accurate sentence patterns for describing changes, such as “The two rooms were converted into…” and “A salad bar was added along…,” while checking articles and subject–verb agreement.

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