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 layout shows two designs '' Before'' and ''After'' of a cafe. The layout clearly shows alot of difference between the before and after of infrastructure tha cafe; with addiitonal sections and areas.

The restructured cafe has now take way food facility which was lacking in the previous cafe having only dining facility.Firstly the previous cafe has only ''all food and drink availability, replaced by ''Hot meals'' in newly structured cafe. Moreover, there is an addition of coffee bar section just left to the take away food facility section.

Additionally, on the very right there there is brand new section of salad bar. An imporatant replacment was done ont the left side, where simple bin is replaced by recycling bins. Toilet has same place in both previous and new cafe.

Among all the changes in the newly structured cafe the most fascinating for the customers would be the addition of barbecue section that too with the

outdoor sitting availability.

Overall, the newly structured cafe is a good idea, with addiitonal facilitites for attracting costumers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several genuine changes, including the replacement of the general serving counter with a hot-meals counter, the addition of a coffee bar and salad bar, and the new outdoor seating and barbecue. You also correctly note that the toilets remain in the same place. However, the account is only partial: it does not describe the central seating area or the new doors on the south wall, and it mislocates the salad bar (“on the very right”) when it is along the western wall. The overview focuses on the café being a “good idea” and attracting customers rather than clearly summarising the main spatial changes. Report the key alterations accurately and neutrally, including what happened to the former staff dining rooms.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to changes and then a concluding comment. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “Additionally” help signal that information is being added. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the description shifts between areas without a reliable spatial order, and “on the very right” is confusing in relation to the plan. Some links are mechanical, while the final paragraph gives an opinion rather than bringing together the main comparisons. Grouping changes by location—for example, the north side, western and eastern walls, then the new southern outdoor area—would make the account easier to follow. Clearer references to the old and new layouts would also improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant terms for describing a plan, including “replaced,” “addition,” “section,” and “outdoor seating,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or informal for an objective report. “Infrastructure” is not a natural description of the café’s internal layout, and “fascinating for the customers” expresses an unsupported opinion. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “addiitonal,” “imporatant,” “replacment,” and “costumers,” which reduce the accuracy of the writing. Use precise labels from the plan and neutral terms such as “facility,” “counter,” and “area” to describe changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some longer sentence forms, including “Firstly the previous cafe has only … replaced by …” and “Among all the changes … the most fascinating …,” but these constructions are often faulty or incomplete. For example, “The restructured cafe has now take way food facility” is missing an appropriate verb form and article, while “Toilet has same place” needs clearer article use and sentence structure. The opening sentence also contains an unclear construction after “before and after.” Most sentences remain simple or are joined without reliable punctuation, and errors sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise accurate comparison patterns, such as “The former serving area was replaced by a hot-meals counter,” alongside well-controlled simple sentences.

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