Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-01
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 discribe a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.
Overall, It has three main changes that are made in this design. First, the staff dining rooms was converted to take away food and coffee bar. Outdoor seating and berbecue area was added in this cafe. Last but not the lest that the salad bar was added in the cafe.
To begin with the comparision between these two designs. The kichen area remain at same location but the serving area was converted into hot meals couter. The bin was become big but remain at same place. However, the toilets have no change in shape and size. The staff dining room which was located at the front of the entrence was modified in to two room from which one was take away food and the other is coffee bar.
Nevertheless, The outdoor seating and the barbecue area were added outside the the caffee which is connected with cafe with two doors. At the and new servce of salad bar was also added in this cafe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You identify the main overall changes, including the conversion of the staff dining rooms into takeaway and coffee areas, and the addition of outdoor seating, a barbecue and a salad bar. You also correctly note that the kitchen and toilets remain in place. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the bin is described as becoming bigger, whereas the plan shows recycling bins replacing it; and the staff rooms were replaced by two adjoining service areas, rather than simply being modified into rooms. The overview is relevant, but the comparison would be more complete if you also mentioned the central seating area and the new southern access doors. Some features are reported more fully than others.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the comparison. You also use signposts such as “Overall,” “To begin with,” and “Nevertheless.” However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the final paragraph begins with “Nevertheless” even though it adds another change rather than contrasting with the previous point. The sequence of details is not always easy to follow, particularly when the staff rooms, entrance and new service areas are discussed together. Grouping changes by location—for example, the north side, interior and outdoor area—and using clearer references would make the progression more controlled.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “converted,” “remain,” “added,” “located” and “connected,” so the main changes are usually understandable. However, spelling errors such as “discribe,” “kichen,” “entrence” and “caffee” are noticeable, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate: “the bin was become big” does not clearly describe the replacement by recycling bins, while “new servce” is vague. “Staff dining room” is also used where the plan shows two rooms. Aim for accurate plan vocabulary and check spelling; phrases such as “was replaced by,” “was converted into” and “was added along the western wall” would express the changes more precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “but” and a relative clause beginning “which was located.” The overall meaning can generally be followed, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the staff dining rooms was converted” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “the kitchen area remain” needs a past-tense verb. The construction “the bin was become” is also faulty, while “connected with cafe with two doors” has an unclear grammatical relationship. Capitalisation after commas is inconsistent, as in “Overall, It” and “Nevertheless, The.” To improve control, use consistent past-tense passive forms for changes and check agreement, articles and sentence punctuation.
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