Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-26

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 map compares the the design of a college cafe before and after its reconstruction.

Before redesigning, its was consisted of six majore areas , those including ; staff dining rooms , these rooms were situated right beor the entrance gate People just needed to enter the main gate walked through thr balcony and reached there . Then in the right side of these rooms , serving area was situated , where guest were being served eith food and drink . Then right inront of serving area , kitchen was there . The toilets were situsted in the north - eastren side of the house . The empty area between staff dinning rooms and toilets was decorated with tables and chairs .

After redesigning , numerous new areas have been added . Firstly , bin is replaced with recycling bins . Toilets are still there . Outdoor settins in the southren parts of cafe have been added . Beside these seatings , an area for barbecuee has been fixed . Salad bar is situated rigts in front of barbacue. Serving area has been replaced with hot meals . Kitchen is still there . The area for tables and chairs is the same . Take away food and coffee bar have replaced staff dining rooms .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the staff dining rooms with takeaway and coffee facilities, the new outdoor seating and barbecue, and the continued presence of the kitchen and toilets. However, the account is only partly accurate and some locations are misreported: the staff rooms were along the north wall, not “right before the entrance gate,” and the serving counter was beside the kitchen rather than to the right of the staff rooms. The salad bar is on the western wall, not in front of the barbecue. There is also no clear overview of the main transformation. To strengthen the response, summarise the broad shift from internal staff facilities to more varied customer services and outdoor dining, then describe locations using the plan’s directions accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a basic chronological structure, moving from the original layout to the redesigned café, and sequencing words such as “Before redesigning,” “Then,” and “After redesigning” help readers follow the comparison. The final paragraph also groups several new features together. However, the first paragraph’s route-like description (“enter the main gate walked through thr balcony”) is difficult to follow and does not clearly relate the features to one another. Some transitions, such as “Firstly,” introduce details without establishing a clear hierarchy, while repeated “Then” and “still there” make the progression mechanical. Organise each paragraph around the main areas of change, and use clear location references to connect features rather than describing an imagined route.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “recycling bins,” “outdoor seating,” “barbecue,” and “tables and chairs,” so the reader can recognise many of the features. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “replaced” and “situated.” However, spelling errors are frequent and sometimes make words difficult to recognise, for example “majore,” “settins,” and “rigts.” Several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, including “entrance gate,” “house,” and “fixed” for a café feature. Use accurate plan vocabulary such as “entrance,” “building,” “located,” and “added,” and check spelling carefully. More precise directional phrases would also help distinguish where each facility is positioned.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the contrast between the two layouts is generally understandable. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, with frequent errors in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and agreement. For example, “its was consisted” combines incompatible verb forms, while “Before redesigning” does not clearly identify what is being redesigned. The sentence beginning “People just needed to enter…” lacks a clear grammatical connection between its actions, and “The toilets were situsted” also shows faulty verb formation. Punctuation and spacing around commas and hyphens are inconsistent. Build accuracy first with clear subject–verb sentences, then add subordinate clauses using patterns such as “which was located…” or “while the toilets remained…”.

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