Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-10
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 maps illustrate the Islip town center as it is now, and the future.
Overall, the location will developed in the future such as new housing, car park, shopping center, bus station, and a dual carriageway. However, some areas remain unchanged like park, school, housing, main road, shops.
Today, there is a park in the east side and a school stay in west area. Moreover, two housing has central area. A straight road is a road from west to east, while the shops are on both sides of the road. Additionally, the country side is located to the north.
In the future, the main road will get replaced by a dual carriageway. A new bus station, shopping center, car park, and a new housing will be developed in the northern section. Furthermore, a park and a school will no changed. The housing is discarded in the future, but shops and a new housing will be included in the central section.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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 key changes such as the dual carriageway and the new facilities. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention that the location will be developed, the summary could be more precise by highlighting the shift from a residential-focused area to one with more commercial and transport infrastructure. Some details are slightly inaccurate, such as stating the school and park will remain unchanged when the map shows them being relocated or modified. To improve, ensure you group information logically rather than just listing changes, and focus on the most significant transformations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the current state to the future plans. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Today', and 'In the future' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally repetitive, and the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic. Some referencing is unclear, such as 'the housing is discarded', which makes it difficult to track specific changes. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your pronouns and references clearly point back to the specific features mentioned in the maps.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'new', 'road', and 'housing'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'the location will developed' (should be 'will be developed') and 'a school stay in west area' (should be 'is located in the western area'). To improve, incorporate more precise geographical and descriptive vocabulary, such as 'situated', 'replaced by', 'converted into', or 'infrastructure'. Expanding your range of synonyms will help you describe the changes with more sophistication and precision, moving beyond simple descriptive labels.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'two housing has central area' (should be 'two housing areas are in the center'), 'a school stay in west area' (should be 'a school is located in the west'), and 'a park and a school will no changed' (should be 'will not be changed'). These errors in subject-verb agreement and passive voice construction are noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering the passive voice for describing developments and ensure consistent verb tense usage when discussing future plans.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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