Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The plans below represents college cafe before and after it's redesign.

Overall, before it's redesign there were only a kitchen, serving area, staff dining room, bin, toilets and tables and chairs. howevery, after the redesigne they have included many new things such as take away, coffee bar and other things.

On the one hand, before and after the redesign the kitchen remained in the same area. howevery, there was a change in serving area as it has become a hot meals. futhermore, For staff dining room it has changed to take away food and coffee bar. In addition, the tables and chairs and the toilets it has not moved.

on the other hand, there were some addition made such has they have inclued a new salad bar and even a new barbecue. moreover, before there was tables and chairs indoor but after the redesign they have also included an outdoor seating.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main transformation: the kitchen stays in place, the serving counter becomes a hot-meals area, the former staff dining rooms are replaced by takeaway and coffee facilities, and outdoor seating and a barbecue are added. These are relevant comparisons and give the reader a general picture of the redesign. However, the overview is a list of facilities rather than a clear summary of the most significant spatial changes. Some details are also unclear or omitted: for example, the recycling bins replace the single bin, and the new salad bar is on the western wall. Develop the comparison by grouping changes by area and describing the new southern outdoor space more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs comparing the plans. This helps the reader follow the broad before-and-after account. However, progression within the body is uneven, and the repeated contrast markers “On the one hand” and “on the other hand” make the organisation feel mechanical rather than showing clear categories of change. “Furthermore,” “In addition,” and “moreover” are also used without always clarifying how the next point relates to the previous one. Group the information spatially—for example, changes along the north and west sides, then changes to the central and southern areas—and use references such as “these facilities” only when their meaning is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “kitchen,” “serving area,” “take away food,” “salad bar,” and “outdoor seating,” so the main features can generally be understood. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “included many new things,” “other things,” and “there were some addition made.” Repeated use of “new” and “included” also limits variety. Spelling errors such as “howevery,” “redesigne,” “futhermore,” and “inclued” are noticeable and reduce accuracy. Aim for precise plan-description language, such as “was converted into,” “was added along the western wall,” and “the former staff rooms were replaced by…”.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “while” implied by the before-and-after comparisons and clauses introduced by “as” and “such as.” However, control is inconsistent. For example, “The plans below represents” has subject–verb disagreement, while “before it’s redesign” uses an incorrect possessive form and article pattern. In “the tables and chairs and the toilets it has not moved,” the subject and pronoun structure are unclear; a direct construction such as “The tables and chairs and the toilets remained in place” would be more accurate. Sentence openings are also inconsistently capitalised, and punctuation around linking words needs attention. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions and straightforward comparison structures before adding complexity.

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