Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-04

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 plan shows the modifications in college cafe before it was redesign and now how it looks like in present.

Overall, it can be seen that cafe has transformed in a number of different ways. In addtion, the most noticeable change in kitchen area. new things added in kitchen area and the outdoor dining also included.

To begin with,kitchen area added hot meals replace with the serving area,and next removed the staff dining rooms now relplace with the two new cabins and the first one is take way food and the second is coffee bar which makes the cafe more beautiful.

On the right side salad bar remain the same but the left side had recycling bin. furthermore one of the important plan of the cafe to introduce the outdoor sitting area for public to enjoy the weather. and improved the sitting area now which looks good. one more food item starting in the cafe at the left side of the cafe barbecue for the public. finally these improvements makes the cafe more convenient.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main purpose of the plans and report several important changes, including the replacement of the staff dining rooms with takeaway and coffee areas, the addition of outdoor seating and a barbecue, and the change to the food counter. However, the account is only partially complete: the overview says the kitchen area changed, but does not clearly summarise the main overall pattern, and some details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, “On the right side salad bar remain the same” misplaces the salad bar, which is newly added along the western wall; the recycling bins are on the eastern wall. The toilets remain in the same position, and the central tables and chairs remain, but these useful comparisons are not clearly reported. Describe locations and unchanged features more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an opening, an overview and a body paragraph, and it uses basic sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “furthermore” and “finally.” These give the reader some sense of progression. However, the organisation within the body is difficult to follow because several changes are combined in long, loosely connected sentences. The contrast in “On the right side salad bar remain the same but the left side had recycling bin” is especially confusing, and “one more food item starting…” does not clearly connect the barbecue to the plan. Some linking words are used mechanically or without clear relationships between ideas. Group the changes by area—for example, interior facilities, unchanged features and outdoor additions—and use clear comparisons such as “whereas” and “while” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “kitchen area,” “serving area,” “staff dining rooms,” “coffee bar” and “outdoor sitting area.” This gives you a minimally adequate range for the task. However, vocabulary is often repetitive or imprecise, and several word-choice and spelling errors make details harder to understand. “Cabins” is not an appropriate description of the new food-service sections, while “more beautiful” and “looks good” are subjective rather than useful descriptions of a layout. There are also errors such as “addtion,” “relplace” and “take way.” Aim for precise plan vocabulary, including “counter,” “section,” “located,” “replaced by” and “added,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the reader can understand the general topic and several changes. However, the range is limited, and attempts to connect multiple ideas often produce faulty structures. For example, “kitchen area added hot meals replace with the serving area” lacks a clear subject and has an incorrect verb construction; “the first one is take way food” also needs a more accurate sentence pattern. Errors in articles, agreement and tense appear in phrases such as “cafe has transformed” and “these improvements makes.” Punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent, particularly after full stops. Use shorter, complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, then practise accurate comparison structures such as “The serving area was replaced by a hot-meal counter.”

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