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 chart illustrates a college café prior the development and how it looks after the renovation.

Overall, the area underwent a substantial redevelopment with better commercial and facilities. Most notable changed were the introduction of bar and outdoor sitting with barbecue stand whereas the kitchen and table chairs remained unchanged.

Before the café has a kitchen at north west part of the place with serving area. At south east a kitchen is situated whereas staff dining room is present at the center of the café. Toilet is placed at the east of the café

After the renovation, dining room has been replaced by take away food and coffee bar and chairs in dinning room is shifted to outdoor setting. Recycle bin and toilet is remained at the same place. Serving area infront of kitchen has been replaced by hot meals. Salad bar and barbecue id constructed at the west of the café.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You provide an overview of substantial change and identify several important features, including the new coffee bar, outdoor seating and barbecue, while noting that the kitchen and central tables remain. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: the staff dining rooms were at the north side, not the centre, and the south-east area was not another kitchen. The description that chairs were “shifted to outdoor setting” is also unsupported; the plan shows new outdoor tables and chairs, while the central seating remains. You mention the toilets and bins but could describe their unchanged positions more precisely. To strengthen the report, compare the plans systematically and report locations accurately, including the new southern doors and the salad bar on the western wall.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overall summary, and separate descriptions of the earlier and current layouts. This gives the reader a basic progression through the comparison. Some links between details are less clear, however, and the final paragraph combines several changes without a consistent route around the plan. For example, “Salad bar and barbecue id constructed at the west” groups features that are in different locations, making the spatial relationship confusing. Use clearer sequencing, such as describing the north, centre, east and south in turn, and connect each change to its former position. More precise referencing would also help readers follow which rooms or facilities have been replaced.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a redesigned café, including “redevelopment,” “replaced,” “serving area,” “recycling bin” and “outdoor seating.” These choices show an adequate range for the task, but several inaccurate or awkward expressions reduce precision. “Better commercial and facilities” does not clearly describe the improvements, while “outdoor sitting” and “barbecue stand” are not natural descriptions in this context. There are also spelling and word-form errors, such as “dinning,” “Recycle,” and “id constructed.” Aim for accurate collocations and consistent forms, especially when naming facilities and describing changes. More precise location vocabulary would also make the comparison clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview contrast “whereas the kitchen and table chairs remained unchanged.” However, errors in verb forms, articles and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some statements difficult to interpret. Examples include “Before the café has a kitchen,” “After the renovation, dining room has been replaced,” and “Recycle bin and toilet is remained.” These need consistent past-tense descriptions and correct subject–verb agreement. Some sentences also lack clear grammatical connections, as in “At south east a kitchen is situated whereas staff dining room is present at the center.” Practise forming accurate past-tense clauses and checking articles and agreement before adding more complex structures.

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