Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-11
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 blueprint of center Islip town depicts the current layout with its upcoming development plan.
Looking from an overall perspective, it can be comprehensively believed that the town center will undergo significant changes such as addition of Dual carriageway, Bus station, new housing, shopping center and car park. At the same time, it also reorganizing some places.
To begin with, as per the future planning, the Islip center will renovated in a circular shape. Additionally, the main road which located in the middle was reallocated around the center. the dual carriageway will also built in the south-west corner that connect with the road Moreover, shops located in the north corner will be divided into 4 section starting from Bus station, shopping center, car park and new housing. Noticeably, the New housing is connected to the road that goes to south corner.
Furthermore, there will be installation of pedestrian path in the middle of the center. the shops located below the main road will also reallocated near pedestrians path and housing located below it will also moved to west side. Meanwhile, the park located in the south-east corner will be re-built quite smaller and besides it the new housing will be also install. Concurrently, the place such as School, Housing in the south corner will remained constant.
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
The response covers the main features of the maps, including the new dual carriageway, the bus station, and the reorganization of shops and housing. However, the description is sometimes imprecise. For example, stating the town center will be 'renovated in a circular shape' is a slight misinterpretation of the bypass road layout. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the current and future states could be more analytical. The overview is present but lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes, such as the shift from a through-road to a bypass system. Overall, the response addresses the task requirements adequately but lacks the depth of analysis required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing and some awkward transitions. For instance, the transition between the description of the shops and the pedestrian path is somewhat abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the internal structure of the sentences sometimes makes the progression of information feel repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different areas of development.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'dual carriageway', 'reallocated', and 'pedestrian path'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'it also reorganizing some places' (should be 'it also involves the reorganization of') and 'housing... will be also install' (should be 'installed'). These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the precision of the description. A wider range of vocabulary related to urban planning would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and passive voice construction. Examples include 'the main road which located' (should be 'which is located'), 'the dual carriageway will also built' (should be 'will also be built'), and 'housing... will remained constant' (should be 'will remain constant'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several sentences starting with lowercase letters. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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