Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

There is two diagram that illustrates the islip town centre now and then planned development of islip town centre.It show the development process of Islip town centre.

Overall, looking at maps in more detail it shows the Islip town centre now and the development is assumed to be done in islip town centre.In north side of map in country side there is a shop near main road and after planned development it shows round road and near road there is bus station , shopping centre, car park which is only for pedestrians only.In east side there is a park and it is replaced with new houses .in oth diagram in south side there is school and its not changed.In south side the islip town centre road is replaced with dual carriageway.IN both diagram before and after development the housing area remains same . looking in both diagram its show huge changes in roads structure before development the road is straight and after development the road is round.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the new road layout, the shopping centre, and the replacement of the park with houses. However, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. Some details are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the description of the 'round road' (roundabout) and the claim that the housing area remains the same, which contradicts the visual evidence of new housing. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the 'now' and 'planned' states and provide a more cohesive summary of the overall transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is disjointed. There is a lack of effective cohesive devices to link ideas, making the progression feel mechanical. For example, sentences like 'In north side of map...' and 'In east side there is...' are repetitive in structure. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'in oth diagram' (other diagram), which hinders the reader's ability to follow the comparison smoothly. Improving the use of transition words and ensuring clear paragraph breaks would significantly enhance the logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'road', 'map', and 'development'. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'oth' instead of 'other' and 'round road' instead of 'roundabout'. The range of vocabulary is just sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, try to use more descriptive terminology related to urban planning, such as 'infrastructure', 'residential area', 'pedestrianised zone', or 'dual carriageway'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement ('There is two diagram') and missing articles ('In north side of map'). Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several instances of missing spaces after periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would be a good starting point for improvement.

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.