Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The plan below shows the college cafe design before and after the renovation.

Cafe before design it looks like simple ordinary cafe where people came sit and ate together. Behind the cafe there is only one small kitchen and infront of kitchen there is a serving area where all food are and drinks are served. A significant space is allocated in the middle of the cafe for tables and chairs. There is two staff dining rooms, one garbage box, an one restroom at the bottom right corner.

It compares with a new cafe when cafe was re-design the kitchen area is same as the old one. Moreover serving food name was changed into the hot meals. Two dining rooms of staffs were divided into the two new blocks. One section is take away food and the other is coffee bar. Inside cafe there is a new addition in the left side of cafe is salad bar. Multiple recycle bins were placed. Tables, and chairs and rest room are reserved areas as the previous cafe.

On the other hand there is a barbecue section was introduced outside the bar and a vast amount of seating was made outside for their customers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the changes shown in a college cafe design before and after renovation. While the candidate covers several key features such as the kitchen remaining the same, the addition of a salad bar, a coffee bar, and an outdoor barbecue section, the description lacks the level of organization and specific detail expected in a proper Task 1 response. The tone is somewhat informal and at times reads like a General Training letter or narrative rather than a report on a visual plan. Important information from the prompt is partially addressed, but the overall presentation of data and spatial changes remains limited. Consequently, this falls under Band 5, as the task is addressed only partially with underdeveloped ideas and an unclear overall focus on the visual changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text shows some organization, dividing the description into a brief introduction, the old layout, the new layout, and external additions. However, there is no clear overall progression and paragraphing is weak. Transitions between ideas are abrupt and mechanical, such as 'It compares with a new cafe' and 'On the other hand'. Referencing is frequently unclear, leaving the reader confused about spatial relationships (e.g., 'Two dining rooms of staffs were divided into the two new blocks'). Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, which disrupts the flow of the response. This performance fits the Band 5 descriptor, where there is some organization but a lack of clear progression and inadequate use of cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple terms like 'cafe', 'kitchen', 'tables', and 'chairs'. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'garbage box' instead of bin/rubbish bin, 'serving food name' instead of the serving counter, and 'vast amount of seating' where 'ample seating' would be more appropriate. These errors do occasionally cause confusion, although the general meaning remains partially accessible. Because the lexical range is limited and constrained by frequent inappropriate collocations and word choices, a Band 5 score is appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic coordination. When the student attempts more complex structures, they are frequently faulty, leading to severe grammatical errors and run-on sentences, such as 'Cafe before design it looks like simple ordinary cafe where people came sit and ate together.' There are numerous punctuation errors, missing articles ('infront of kitchen', 'at bottom right corner'), and tense inconsistencies (shifting awkwardly between present and past). Frequent errors cause difficulty for the reader throughout, matching the criteria for Band 4.

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

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