Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-05
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 2 maps here show the center of Islip town. The first map is the current state of the town and the second map shows the future renovation plan.
Currently Islip town is not really an ideal residential place. It lacks basic facilities like a car parking, mall and a bus station. The amount of residential buildings is also relatively less. In the future new residential buildings are planned alongside all the facilities mentioned above. The area occupied by the north shops previously is going to be utilized for the new facilities and housing. A proper road is also planned for better commute which prevoiusly was missing and the current main road is going to become a pedestrians only road. The area of the park is planned to be reduced to compensate more residential space.
Some things will remain plateau like the location of the school and the wsouth shops. The future version is basically a more commercialized version of Islip town
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have successfully identified the main features of the maps, such as the addition of new facilities and the conversion of the main road. However, the response lacks a clear overview, which is essential for a Band 7 or higher. While you mention the town is becoming 'more commercialized', a more detailed summary of the key changes (e.g., the expansion of housing and the shift in traffic management) would improve the score. Additionally, some descriptions are slightly inaccurate; for instance, the park is not just reduced, but relocated and reconfigured. Ensure you provide a more precise summary of the spatial changes to fully meet the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the current state to the future plans. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, the body, and the conclusion, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the description of the road and the park could be smoother. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly, rather than relying on simple sentence structures to move from one point to the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'residential buildings', 'facilities', and 'pedestrians only'. However, there are some awkward word choices, such as 'remain plateau' and 'compensate more residential space', which are not standard collocations. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise and sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and map description. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help you convey the information with greater precision and naturalness.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is sufficient for this task. There are a few grammatical errors, such as 'amount of residential buildings' (should be 'number of') and 'prevoiusly' (spelling error). Additionally, the phrase 'compensate more residential space' is grammatically incorrect; 'to accommodate' would be more appropriate. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they do occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions will help improve the overall accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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