Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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 plans below depicts the comparison of a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

From the comparison, we can say that the cafe looks much better now.

There are several changes in the cafe.

Before the redesign, the cafe was so simple with no outdoor seating and barbecue place.Even the indoor area had limited access and two rooms were desginated just for staff people.The serving area consists of all food and drink which might make the area crowded and can get slow in service.

However, after the redesign of the cafe ,cafe looks much better and organized.We can see that they have added an outdoor seating and barbecue area which makes the experience of the cafe much better.

In addition to that,they have made several changes in the indoor area by adding few more sections of food and coffees.Now there is a place for take away food and in the kitchen area they have just made it for hot meals.

By divinding of section it makes the place less crowded and coffee bar area is a good place where people just come for coffee and relax.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad contrast between the original café and its redesigned version, including the new outdoor seating and barbecue, the take-away and coffee areas, and the change to a hot-meals counter. These are relevant features and give the response a clear overall direction. However, the overview that the café is “much better” is subjective rather than a summary of the main physical changes. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate: the original plan shows two staff dining rooms, but “limited access” is not explained, and the serving area is described as potentially crowded and slow without evidence from the plans. To strengthen the response, report the main changes neutrally and include other clear comparisons, such as the new salad bar and recycling bins and the toilets remaining in place.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic progression from the café before the redesign to its current arrangement, and paragraph breaks help separate the introduction from the comparison. Linking expressions such as “However” and “In addition to that” make the sequence understandable. However, the ideas are not consistently grouped by location or type of change, and several points are repeated, particularly the claim that the new café is “much better.” Some connections are also awkward: “By divinding of section” does not clearly show how the sections relate to reduced crowding. Organise the body into clear before-and-after comparisons—for example, indoor facilities first and outdoor additions second—and use precise references to guide the reader through the plans.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “outdoor seating,” “serving area,” “take away food,” “hot meals,” and “coffee bar,” so the main changes can generally be understood. There is also an attempt to describe purpose and effect, as in “people just come for coffee and relax.” However, vocabulary is repetitive and sometimes informal or imprecise: “much better” is repeated, while “staff people” and “few more sections of food and coffees” do not describe the plan naturally. Spelling errors such as “desginated” and “divinding” also reduce accuracy. Aim for neutral, specific terms such as “redesigned,” “facilities,” and “additional food counters,” and avoid unsupported evaluations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast beginning “However” and a clause explaining the serving area. The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “The plans below depicts” has subject–verb disagreement, and “a college cafe” is followed by inconsistent use of “the cafe.” Articles and plurals are also problematic in “added an outdoor seating” and “adding few more sections.” The final sentence, “By divinding of section it makes…,” has an unclear structure, while spacing around commas and full stops is inconsistent. Check agreement, articles, and plural forms, and make sure each sentence has a clear subject and verb.

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