Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-13

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 map illustrates the the future development along with its fasilities in small town known as islip in current days . It’s observed that islip , people deciding to chnge complete design with adding new facilities.

It can be seen that islip has the school in front of the housing area while the park is situated beside the road . Looking forward there are many shops that located the both sides of the main road .

I future the school area will be remain same but the single road will changed into dubble all around the city . After that islip has total 2 area of housing while one would be increased by number. Facilities such as bus station , shopping center car park will be added in areas. There will be a special road that will use by pedestrian only . Shops will be located in center of the town .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the road changes, the addition of new facilities, and the expansion of housing. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For instance, while you mention that the 'single road will changed into dubble', you do not specify that this is a ring road, which is a key feature. The overview is also quite weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. To improve, ensure you provide a more precise comparison between the 'current' and 'future' states, focusing on the spatial layout and the specific locations of the new additions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the current state to the future plans. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. Phrases like 'After that' and 'Looking forward' are used, but the transition between ideas within paragraphs is occasionally abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'one would be increased by number', where it is not immediately obvious which housing area is being referred to. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun referencing would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'fasilities' instead of 'facilities', 'chnge' for 'change', and 'dubble' for 'double'. You rely on basic descriptors like 'many shops' or 'total 2 area'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'infrastructure', 'pedestrianised zone', 'expansion', or 'peripheral'. Additionally, ensure you proofread for basic spelling mistakes, as these detract from the overall quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the school will be remain same' (incorrect verb form), 'shops that located the both sides' (missing 'are' and preposition error), and 'special road that will use by pedestrian' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with irregular spacing and missing articles throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing map changes.

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

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