Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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)

Overall, The town centre development plan proposed a huge change that will appear in future.The structure will be shifting into a modern society.

As for now, there is only 2 shops along with the main road.Behind shops there is housing area.At the southest part of the map there is a school and beside it there is housing area too.A park is located in the south-east corner.

moving on to the future plans, the north side of the area is going to change significantly where bus station,shopping mall and cark parking lot will be built.New housing plan in this area has been proposed there as well. The road will be changed into a rounded road covering the whole area from outside. however, There is no change in shops at the other end of the pedestrian pathway. New housing plan is also proposed along with the park in the south part.Finally, Theres no change in school area and the housing part besides it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad contrast between the existing town centre and the proposed redevelopment, and you mention several key changes, including the bus station, shopping centre, outer road, pedestrian route, new housing and park. However, the current layout is reported inaccurately: there are two rows of shops, not “only 2 shops,” and the school is in the south, rather than at the “southest part” as a precise location. The overview is also vague (“a modern society”) and does not clearly summarise the main transformations. Some important details are missing, such as the car park and the replacement of the northern shops, while the planned road is described as covering the whole area without explaining its loop and connections. Select and compare the main features more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall sequence: it introduces the proposed change, describes the present layout, and then moves to the future plan. Phrases such as “As for now,” “moving on to the future plans,” and “Finally” help signal this progression. However, the information is not consistently grouped or linked, and the first paragraph’s general statement does not provide a clear map overview. Several details are compressed into long, loosely connected sentences, particularly the future-plan description, making relationships between locations less clear. The contrast between what remains and what changes could be organised more systematically—for example, by describing the northern area, central route, and southern area in turn. More precise referencing and paragraphing would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “bus station,” “pedestrian pathway,” “housing,” and “park,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing plans. “Shopping mall” is less precise than the map’s “shopping centre,” while “cark parking lot” is an incorrect and redundant phrase. “The structure will be shifting into a modern society” is vague and does not describe a specific map change. There are also spelling and form problems, such as “southest” and “Theres.” Aim for concise, conventional terms for locations and developments, and use exact labels from the map where appropriate. This will make the description clearer and more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can generally follow the intended meaning. However, control is inconsistent, with errors in sentence boundaries, articles, agreement, and verb forms. For example, “there is only 2 shops” has a plural subject, and “where bus station, shopping mall and cark parking lot will be built” needs articles before the listed facilities. The opening also runs two sentences together: “future.The structure,” while “moving on” begins a sentence without a capital letter. In “New housing plan … has been proposed,” the article and number are not controlled, and the tense shifts between present and future descriptions. Use a consistent present tense for the existing map and future forms for the plan, checking articles and punctuation in each sentence.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.