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 diaghram illustrates the changes that take place in a college cafe and how it looks today.

Overall, the cafe has undergone through significant redevelopment by introducing some new features and relocation of some excisting places. The most significant change was introduction to outdoor seating while restrooms and kitchen remained unchanged.

The most important development was outdoor seating in the south corner and a babecue place in south-west corner. The bin was replaced by recycling bin and serving area was replaced by hot meals. Salad bar is also constructed in the western corner.

The restrooms were remained stable. Staff dining rooms has replaced by take away food and coffee bar. The number of doors were increased in the cafe. Kitchen was also remained unchanged. the tables and chairs were also remained unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main transformation and several accurate comparisons: outdoor seating and a barbecue were added, the bin became recycling bins, the serving area became a hot-meals counter, and the staff dining rooms were replaced by takeaway food and a coffee bar. You also note that the kitchen and toilets remained in place. However, the overview is broad, and some details are underdeveloped: for example, you do not mention the new southern doors or describe the outdoor seating tables. The phrase “south corner” is also less precise than the plan, which places the seating along the south side and the barbecue to its south-west. The response is 18 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail you can provide. Add a fuller overview and a few precise spatial details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes and unchanged features. This helps the reader follow the comparison. However, progression within the body is limited, as several changes are listed in short, separate statements rather than grouped by location or type. The final paragraph repeats the kitchen and furniture points and uses “also” several times, making the links feel mechanical. Some references could be clearer; for instance, “the rest” in the overview does not specify which features are being contrasted. Organise the details into a clear sequence—perhaps north and west changes, then the central and southern areas—and use linking phrases such as “Meanwhile” or “In addition” selectively.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “redevelopment,” “replaced,” “remained unchanged,” and “outdoor seating.” These choices communicate several key changes. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “introduction to outdoor seating,” “a barbecue place,” and “constructed” for a facility added to the plan. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “diaghram,” “excisting,” and “babecue,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map language and check spelling carefully. Phrases such as “was added,” “barbecue area,” and “the serving area was converted into a hot-meals counter” would describe the changes more naturally and specifically.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a few complex structures, particularly in the overview, but most sentences follow a simple pattern and errors recur in verb forms, agreement, and articles. Examples include “has undergone through significant redevelopment,” “The restrooms were remained stable,” and “Staff dining rooms has replaced by take away food,” where the verb construction or agreement is faulty. “The number of doors were increased” also has a singular subject with a plural verb. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, but they make the description less controlled. Practise accurate passive forms (“was replaced by”), present-perfect constructions (“has undergone significant redevelopment”), and subject–verb agreement. Vary sentence structures while keeping each comparison grammatically complete.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.