Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-04
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 given pair of maps represents the town centre in present and future construction. The variations took place in islip.
Overall, it is crystal clear that the school remained same in the given time period and new buildings will be constructed.
At the fleeting glance, it is evident that the shops that are located above the main road in current time will be reconstructed to bus station, shopping centre, car park and new residential area. The main road will be replaced by pedestrian area in future. The town centre is predicted to be covered by a dual carriageway.
Moving ahead, the shops that are located in south of main road will be replaced in centre of the town. The residential area will be enlarged and new housing will be established in the area. The park will remain at the same location and the school will also remain same without any difference.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, identifying the key changes such as the pedestrianization of the main road and the addition of new facilities. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, the mention of the 'dual carriageway' is vague and lacks detail regarding its placement relative to the town centre. While the response identifies the main developments, it lacks a clear, analytical comparison between the two maps. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant transformation, such as the shift from a vehicle-oriented town centre to a pedestrian-focused one.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'At the fleeting glance', and 'Moving ahead', though some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or unnatural. The progression of information is generally clear, moving from the general layout to specific changes. However, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as in the phrase 'the shops that are located in south of main road will be replaced in centre of the town', which makes the spatial relationship between the current and future locations difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. Phrases like 'remained same' and 'without any difference' are repetitive. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'At the fleeting glance' (instead of 'At a glance') and 'future construction' (which is not the most natural way to describe a development plan). While the student successfully uses terms like 'pedestrian area', 'dual carriageway', and 'residential area', the overall range is limited, preventing the response from reaching a higher band. More sophisticated synonyms for 'change' or 'remain' would improve the quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The variations took place in islip' (capitalization error), 'the school remained same' (missing 'the'), and 'located in south of main road' (missing 'the'). Additionally, 'will be reconstructed to bus station' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'will be reconstructed into a bus station'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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