Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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 diagram ilustrates, the planning and redevelopment of the cafe present in the college.

Overall, there are varoius significant changes, while the original placed being removed or replaced from the previous cafe design. Gradually, new section are inaugurate such as outside seating area, barbecue and salad bar. Furthermore,some placed are renamed and changed such as staff dining ares.

In general, there is a new places added in the tables and chairs area on the left side of the map known as salad bar. Complete makeover of staff dining room, where takeaway and coffee bar are introduced.Similarly a new ares is inaugurated outside of the cafe, dining area and on the left side of the dining area barbecue section is introduced.

Collectively there are some unchange places like kitchen and toilet area. Moreover,serving area is replaced by hot meal area, whereas, bin is renovate and expanded and rename as recycling bin, which is bigger then in the previous design.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify several important changes, including the new salad bar, takeaway and coffee-bar sections, outdoor seating and barbecue, and you note that the kitchen and toilets remain. This gives the response a relevant overview and covers the main redesign. Some details, however, are unclear or inaccurate: the salad bar is described as being “in the tables and chairs area,” although it is along the western wall, and the claim that the recycling bin is “bigger” is not supported by the plans. The description of the former staff dining rooms could also be more precise: they were replaced by takeaway food and a coffee bar. To strengthen the response further, report locations and changes accurately and compare the plans in a more systematic way.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an introduction, an overview and further description, so the reader can recognise an attempt to organise the information. However, progression is not consistently clear: the second and third paragraphs repeat the new outdoor area and barbecue, while the final paragraph shifts to unchanged features and renamed facilities without a clear spatial or thematic sequence. Linking phrases such as “Furthermore,” “Similarly” and “Collectively” are used, but some feel mechanical or do not clearly show the relationship between ideas. Grouping the changes by location—for example, the north and west interior, then the eastern and southern areas—would create a clearer progression. Use references such as “these rooms” only when their antecedent is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of task-related vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “introduced,” “replaced” and “inaugurated.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural in this context, such as “places,” “inaugurated” for facilities, and “bin is renovate and expanded.” Spelling errors, including “ilustrates,” “varoius” and “ares,” also make the vocabulary less reliable. The reader can generally infer your meaning, but these errors sometimes make descriptions difficult to interpret. Prefer precise map vocabulary and familiar collocations, such as “facilities were added,” “the staff dining rooms were converted,” and “the bin was replaced by recycling bins.” Check spelling and word forms during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and more complex comparisons, including “while the original placed being removed or replaced” and “whereas, bin is renovate and expanded.” These attempts show an effort to vary sentence forms, but several are incomplete or incorrectly constructed, which can obscure the intended meaning. For example, “there are a new places” has an article and agreement problem, and “serving area is replaced” needs a suitable tense and article. Punctuation also needs attention: commas interrupt the opening sentence and are attached inconsistently to following words. Build accuracy first with clear past-tense descriptions of changes, then combine ideas using correctly formed clauses such as “The serving area was replaced by a hot-meals counter.”

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