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)

The map illustrate the difference between unconstructed and planned development of Islip town centre.

firstly, the main areas in the town are countryside in-front of the shops. the main roads saperates the shops. there is a park in-front of the housing scheme, nearby a school is situated.

The development starts from the countryside by evolving the bus station, shopping centre, car parking and new housing scheme altogether in one lane.

making way for pedestrains to walk through the way. Couple of shops will be constructed in-front of the housing and park. The whole development is covered with Dual carriageway. Out side of carriageway a school will be built just nearby a housing society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some key features of the maps, the summary is underdeveloped and lacks a clear overview of the most significant changes, such as the transformation of the countryside into a residential and commercial hub. The description of the 'planned development' is somewhat confusing, and you have missed several key details, such as the relocation of the school and the specific layout changes. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the main trends and include more descriptive detail about the spatial changes shown in the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the use of 'firstly' without a corresponding 'secondly'. The transition between the current state and the future plan is abrupt. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of the new facilities. To improve, use a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus, such as one for the current layout and one for the proposed changes.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits your ability to describe the maps with precision. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'saperates' instead of 'separates', 'pedestrains' instead of 'pedestrians', and 'Out side' instead of 'Outside'. You rely on simple descriptors like 'main areas' and 'new housing scheme'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'infrastructure', 'residential zone', 'commercial facilities', and 'pedestrianized area', while ensuring accurate spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The map illustrate' should be 'The map illustrates', and 'The development starts from the countryside by evolving the bus station' is an awkward construction. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalization. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and practice using a variety of complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, to describe the changes in the town.

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

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