The plans below show a college café before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Same questionCompare 8 different answers (Band 5.5–8.5)

Sample Response

1

The floor planstwo maps delineate the layout of a college cafe before and after its reconfiguration. Overall, the most noticeable changes occur in the outdoor areas, with more seating and a barbecue space. Furthermore, the staff dining rooms have been removed alongside the introduction ofin comparison to the emergence of a salad bar. In the northwest of the cafe, the kitchen remains intact while the original serving area which provided all sorts of food and drink has been replaced by a dedicated counterregions for hot meals.

2

Regarding the central area of the cafe, there is a new salad bar located in the west of the cafe. Dining rooms offering meals for staff have been replacedare replaced by spaces for takeaway food and a coffee bar to the east.

3

Besides, inon the southeastern corner, the toilets remain unchanged while to the north of themit, the single bin has been expandedthe bin is transformed into larger recycling bins. When it comes to external areas, a barbecue area has been added accompanied by more outdoor seating where students can enjoy food.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.0

The description effectively highlights the primary structural changes and additions across both floor plans, backed by a clear overview and logical paragraph organisation. While the vocabulary and grammar are generally accurate and varied, occasional awkward phrasing slightly detracts from the natural flow. To reach a higher standard, refine transitional expressions to sound more natural and double-check spatial prepositions relative to the diagram.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

7.0
Scoring rule

The response presents a clear overview of the main modifications and accurately details all major features from both plans.

Next step

Ensure all precise directional details match the plan exactly, such as specifying the exact location of new features like the outdoor seating along the south wall.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

7.0
Scoring rule

Information is logically grouped into distinct paragraphs with clear progression from internal changes to external additions.

Next step

Vary cohesive devices slightly to avoid overusing routine transition phrases at the start of paragraphs.

LR

Lexical Resource

7.0
Scoring rule

A good range of map-related vocabulary is used appropriately to describe architectural changes and reconfigurations.

Next step

Replace slightly unnatural word combinations like 'in comparison to the emergence of' with more precise task-appropriate phrasing such as 'and replaced by'.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

7.0
Scoring rule

A mix of simple and complex structures is used with good control over passive forms and tense consistency.

Next step

Refine complex noun phrases and prepositional clauses to ensure consistently smooth grammatical accuracy.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

The plans below show a college café before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Your response

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