Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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 plan here shows a college cafe how it is now and then.Basically the cafe looks like L-shape from top view.the cafe has kitchen attched with serving area for all foods and drink on the top left of the cafe.It has two staff dining rooms in the middle and oopsite to it contains Tables and chairs for customers to have their food , on the right bottom it has toilets and a bin next to it ,Next to bin it has entry and exit , all the features are before redesign.

After Redesigning , The cafe got new more features like serving area is replaced by hot meals , going down a new feature is added salad bar , then in place two of staff dining rooms one is replaced with Take away food and another with coffee bar . Tables and chairs remains unchanged .In place of one bin many more Recycling bins are added .Going down there is new area established Barbecue and outdoor seating for customers with entry and exit points.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main before-and-after changes, including the hot-meals counter, the new salad bar, the replacement of the staff dining rooms, recycling bins, and the outdoor seating and barbecue. The comparison that the central tables and chairs remain is also relevant. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the entrance and exit are on the upper-right wall before the redesign, not next to the bin, and the new outdoor doors are on the southern wall. The overview is also limited; saying the café “got new more features” does not clearly summarise the main transformation. Describe the key changes as a whole, then report locations precisely, including the unchanged toilets and kitchen.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows a broadly sensible before-and-after order, and phrases such as “After Redesigning” and “In place of” help signal comparison. The reader can generally distinguish the original layout from the redesigned one. However, the first paragraph combines several locations in a long, loosely connected sentence, while the second strings changes together with repeated “then” and “going down.” Some references are difficult to follow, particularly “opposite to it” and “one is replaced with Take away food and another with coffee bar.” Use separate paragraphs for the two plans, group features by location, and make each comparison explicit. More controlled linking would make the progression clearer and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant layout vocabulary, including “serving area,” “staff dining rooms,” “replaced,” and “outdoor seating,” so the reader can identify many of the features. There is also some attempt to describe change rather than simply list labels. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “got new more features,” “going down,” and “in place of one bin many more Recycling bins.” Spelling and capitalisation slips, including “attched” and inconsistent capitals in “Redesigning” and “Tables and chairs,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise plan language such as “was added,” “along the western wall,” and “the single bin was replaced by recycling bins.” Check spelling and use consistent labels from the plan.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the basic meaning is usually recoverable. However, control is weakened by some errors in sentence boundaries, tense, articles, and agreement. For example, “The plan here shows a college cafe how it is now and then” is not a well-formed comparison, while “Tables and chairs remains unchanged” has a subject–verb agreement error. The opening paragraph also runs several clauses together, with missing punctuation after “then” and before “Next to bin.” Use clear past-tense forms for the earlier plan and present-tense forms for the current one, and build shorter, complete sentences. Check articles and plural agreement, for example, “the tables and chairs remain unchanged.”

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.