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 below architectures showing college cafe before and after it was redsigned. How the overall structure and arrangement of rooms and areas occupied was shown in the map diagram.

In one hand the cafe before redisgned had east side entrace. Staff didining rooms was exactly in front after you entered in cafe. On you left hand the toilets and dustbin there. After you went ahead you can saw tables and chairs for dine. At the North-West corner you can saw the the kitchen and serving area for all food and drink.

In another hand we can clearly saw the outdoor seating and barbecue section was there in south side of the cafe. The food and drink section was seperated and staff dining rooms are converted into take away food section and coffee bar room. What's more the bins replaced with recycling bins.

In todays cafe and old cafe had too much difference there are multiple sections and rooms are improved for the student satisfaction and comfortable management.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue, the conversion of the former staff dining rooms into takeaway and coffee areas, and the replacement of the bin with recycling bins. However, the description of the original layout contains significant positional errors: the toilets were in the bottom-right corner, not on the left, and the bin was on the eastern wall below the entrance. The overview is also unclear: the final paragraph says the cafés differ, but does not summarise the main pattern of change. To strengthen the response, accurately compare the unchanged features, such as the kitchen, central tables and chairs, and toilets, with the new facilities, including the salad bar and southern outdoor area.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic three-paragraph structure, and phrases such as “In one hand” and “In another hand” signal a move from the old plan to the new one. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the first paragraph moves between the entrance, toilets, seating and kitchen without reliably describing their positions, while the second mixes several changes together. The final paragraph repeats the general idea that the plans differ rather than providing a focused overview. Some linking expressions are also used mechanically or inaccurately. Organise the report around an overview followed by a clear description of the original layout and then the main changes, using precise references such as “along the north wall” and “in the south-west corner.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing plans, including “staff dining rooms,” “outdoor seating,” “barbecue,” and “recycling bins.” Nevertheless, the range is limited, and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts of the description difficult to follow, such as “redsigned,” “redisgned,” “entrace,” and “dustbin.” Some expressions are not natural for this task: “In one hand” and “In another hand” do not work as transitions, and “rooms are improved” is vague. Use accurate plan-description language and check spelling carefully. More precise terms such as “located,” “converted into,” and “added” would help you report the changes clearly and avoid relying on general phrases like “too much difference.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, but grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between features unclear. For example, “Staff didining rooms was” has subject–verb agreement and sentence-structure problems, while “After you went ahead you can saw” combines tenses incorrectly. The opening sentence, “The below architectures showing,” is also incomplete and lacks a correctly formed verb. Articles and prepositions are often missing or awkward, as in “entered in cafe.” To improve, use complete, direct sentences in the present simple when describing the plans, for example, “The toilets are in the bottom-right corner.” Practise agreement, verb forms and sentence boundaries before attempting longer constructions.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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