Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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 4.0)

The map reveals a college canteen before and after renovation. Before renovation, there were two rooms designated for the staff dining. After the redesign, they were replaced with takeaway food and coffee bar. The Salad bar was introduced in the new model with western side of the cafe, outdoor seating were also

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the general subject and report two relevant changes: the staff dining rooms became takeaway and coffee-bar areas, and a salad bar was added on the western side. However, the response gives only a small part of the plan and has no clear overview of the main changes. Important features are omitted, including the retained kitchen, central seating and toilets, the change to the serving counter, recycling bins, and the new outdoor seating and barbecue. The final point about outdoor seating is unfinished, so it does not clearly report what was added. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words. To improve, summarise the overall transformation and compare the key features in both plans.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The ideas are presented in a basic sequence, moving from the earlier layout to changes in the redesigned café. The opening sentence establishes the topic, and “After the redesign” signals a comparison. However, the response is too brief to develop a clear progression or organise the information into a complete report. The final phrase, “outdoor seating were also”, is incomplete and leaves the reader without the intended point. There are also no paragraph breaks or linking expressions to distinguish an overview from specific details. Use a short overview followed by a paragraph comparing the main internal changes and the new outdoor facilities, with clear links such as “while” and “in addition.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “renovation,” “designated,” “replaced,” and “introduced.” These choices communicate the basic changes, but the range is narrow because only a few features are described. Some wording is less precise or natural for this task: “college canteen” differs from the plan’s café, and “new model” is vague when referring to the redesigned layout. “With western side” also does not express the location naturally. Build a wider set of accurate plan-description terms, such as “located along,” “remained unchanged,” “was converted into,” and “was added outside.” This would help you report more features precisely and avoid repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes mostly simple sentence structures, with a basic contrast between the original and redesigned layouts. The first two sentences are understandable, but the range is limited and the final sentence is incomplete: “outdoor seating were also” has no completed verb or continuation. There are also agreement and article issues in “outdoor seating were” and “with western side of the cafe”; the latter needs a grammatical location phrase such as “on the western side of the café.” Try combining related comparisons using accurate clauses, for example, “The staff dining rooms were replaced by takeaway and coffee-bar areas, while a salad bar was added along the western wall.” Check that each sentence is complete and that subjects and verbs agree.

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