Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The maps below show the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now, and plans for its development.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The plan depicts how isllip town centre looks now and how it will look after development.

Overall, there are several development in the plan while keeping some traditional features. Dual carraigeway being added in the plan whcih connect the main road. Housing with pedestrains pathway is major additional feature.

Today, the structure of islip town centre includes the straight main road which have multiple shop on both sides. Coming from the east side to the left road there is a park. Opposite to the west side which have school at the end of the road. Between the park and school there is housing area. Countryside is situated to the north end of centre.

In term of development plan, whole area is suppose to be repurposed. There is a dual carriageway which helps connecting the main road. There is additional of bus station shopping centre and car park to the north side of centre. New housing being added additional to the orginal housing. Park and school have its original place. Pedestrains parthway will be added along with shops.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast between the current town centre and its planned redevelopment, and include several key features: the new bus station, shopping centre and car park, the pedestrianised street, and added housing. The overview also notes that some existing features remain. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the park is not simply in its original place, as it becomes smaller, and the school remains outside the new dual-carriageway loop. The description of the current roads is also confusing, particularly “Coming from the east side to the left road there is a park.” To strengthen the response, compare the layouts more precisely and explain the major changes to the northern shops, road system and southern area.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the present layout and a paragraph on the proposed plan. This makes the information reasonably easy to follow. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes weakened by unclear references and awkward links. For example, “Coming from the east side to the left road” does not clearly identify a location, while “Opposite to the west side” is difficult to connect to the previous sentence. The final paragraph lists several changes without consistently showing where they are in relation to one another. Use clearer spatial signposting, such as “to the north,” “in the southern section,” and “outside the loop,” and connect each feature to its location.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “dual carriageway,” “main road,” “bus station,” “shopping centre” and “housing area,” so the reader can understand the general subject. There is some variety in how you describe change, but several word-choice and spelling problems reduce precision. “Repurposed” overstates the extent of the redevelopment, and “traditional features” is not a precise description of features that are retained. Errors such as “carraigeway,” “pedestrains” and “orginal” also affect the accuracy of the vocabulary. Aim for precise terms for map changes and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish between a feature being retained, relocated or reduced in size.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent. For example, “Dual carraigeway being added in the plan which connect the main road” is a fragment and lacks a correctly formed verb; “the straight main road which have multiple shop” also has subject–verb agreement and plural errors. In “Park and school have its original place,” the verb and pronoun do not agree with the plural subject. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and finite verb, and check agreement, articles and plurals. More accurate control of these basic patterns would make your comparisons easier to understand.

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