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 maps shows the comparison of a cafe before the redisigning and current look of the cafe after all the modifications.

In the first image,cafe was confined and the kitchen was attached to the serving area.Furthermore,upon entering the cafe there wasa sitting area and a seperate dining room for staff.Image also shows there is a seperate space for the toilets and a bin.

On the other hand,the second map after the redesigning looks different.Two seperate areas are added in the sitting area "Take away food" and "coffee bar". Moreover, a new outdoor seating is introduced along with the barbecure.

The main difference in former and new designs are: and addition of a new outdoor seating for the barbecue,New salaad bar, coffe bar and take away food.Last but no the least, Kitchen now just have hot meals while coffee bar and drinks are shifted to hall seating.The major difference is that the new cafe design is alot more clear and have new space addition.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad change from the original café to the redesigned one, including the new takeaway and coffee-bar sections, outdoor seating, barbecue and salad bar. You also note that the kitchen now serves hot meals and that the toilets remain. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the details, and some comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: the original plan shows two staff dining rooms, not one “separate dining room,” and the new outdoor seating is not described as being “for the barbecue.” The claim that coffee and drinks were shifted to the hall is not supported by the plan. To strengthen the response, give a concise overview of the main changes, then accurately describe the key features that stayed the same and those that were added or repurposed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence from the original plan to the redesigned café, and phrases such as “On the other hand” signal a comparison. However, the progression is weakened by repetition: the new outdoor seating, barbecue, coffee bar and takeaway area are listed again in the final paragraph. The opening paragraph also combines several features without a clear organising principle, while the final sentence introduces a general judgement that the design is “a lot more clear” rather than summarising the layout. Some linking is mechanical, and punctuation spacing makes the text harder to follow. Organise the response into a clear introduction, overview and two detail paragraphs, grouping changes by location or by features retained and added.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “serving area,” “sitting area,” “outdoor seating” and “redesigning,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or repeated. “Confined” does not clearly describe the original layout, and “new space addition” is vague; “barbecure,” “salaad,” “coffe” and “redisigning” also show spelling problems. “Clear” is not a precise way to describe the redesigned layout. Use more specific plan vocabulary, such as “counter,” “section,” “located,” “replaced” and “remained unchanged,” and check spelling carefully. This would make comparisons more precise and reduce reliance on repeated phrases such as “new” and “difference.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, “On the other hand, the second map after the redesigning looks different” and “The main difference … are…”. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. The opening has subject–verb disagreement (“The maps shows”), and “Kitchen now just have hot meals” has an incorrect verb form and missing article. There are also problems with sentence construction and punctuation, particularly the fragment-like list after “The main difference … are:” and the run-on final sentence. Articles, plurals and agreement need more consistent control. Practise writing complete comparison sentences, such as “The kitchen now serves hot meals, while the former staff dining rooms have been replaced by a takeaway counter and coffee bar,” and proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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.