Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 redesigning of the collge cafe has been shared with the current cafe structure.

Drastic changes which can be observed comparitively would be that the outdoor seatings have been introduced in the current cafe map. Moreover, Barbeque section can also be observed. Toilets, kitchen area and table & chairs' area remain unchanged.

Before the redesigning, it was observed that the serving area was the place from where all the food and drinks were taken which now is the place for Hot meals. Initially, there were staff dining rooms which further have been designed as take away food section and coffee bars. The area for table and chairs remain the same.

Salad bar is now observed and a new entrance can be seen leading to the Barbeque section. The bins which were originally smaller in area have now been increased drastically and labelled as Recycling Bins. While toilets remain on the same side (no change observed in the area of it). A new entry could be observed right by the toilets which leads to the outdoor seatings which weren't available in the previous design.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main transformation: the former staff dining rooms become takeaway and coffee areas, the serving counter is designated for hot meals, and outdoor seating with a barbecue is added. You also note features that remain, including the kitchen, toilets and central tables and chairs. This gives the report a relevant overview and covers the key changes. Some details, however, are inaccurate or unclear: the bins are described as having increased in size, whereas the plan only shows a change to recycling bins, and the new doors lead from the café to outdoor seating, not to the barbecue. The comparison of the old and new layouts is also unevenly developed. More precise descriptions of locations and changes would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response is divided into paragraphs and generally groups related changes together, so the reader can follow the broad comparison. However, progression is not consistently clear: the opening sentence does not establish a useful overview, and the final paragraph returns to toilets and bins after these have already been mentioned. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “Initially,” and “While” are used, but some connections feel mechanical or do not clearly show the relationship between details. For example, the sentence beginning “Salad bar is now observed” combines several separate changes without a clear sequence. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by a systematic comparison of the interior and exterior, and use references such as “the former staff rooms” to make links clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “redesigning,” “serving area,” “outdoor seating,” and “remain unchanged.” These choices communicate the general changes, and some task-specific terms are included. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision: “outdoor seatings” is not the natural form, “Barbeque section” is better expressed as “barbecue area,” and “increased drastically” makes an unsupported claim about the bins. There are also spelling errors in “collge” and “comparitively.” Aim for accurate, conventional map vocabulary and avoid adding interpretations not shown in the plan. For example, describe the bins as being replaced by recycling bins rather than suggesting their size changed.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which,” “while,” and “where.” The main meaning is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce control. The opening, “The redesigning of the collge cafe has been shared with the current cafe structure,” is difficult to interpret and does not form a clear comparison. In “the area for table and chairs remain the same,” the subject and verb do not agree, while “which now is the place for Hot meals” has an unclear reference and awkward clause structure. Several sentences also begin with fragments or incomplete constructions, such as “Drastic changes which can be observed comparatively would be that…”. Use direct subject–verb sentences and check agreement, articles, and clause boundaries.

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