Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-14

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 show the design of a town centre right along with the planned rebuilt for the furture. Overall, it shows that there will be a hug change in lslip town centre in the coming years.

Although, the school and the housing at far south of the town will remain approximately same with a little increase in school's building, but there will be changes in the shopping area of the centre. First of all, there will be a dual carriageway developed around the main area in a circular shape. The shops at the far nothern side will be replaced by a bus station, a huge shopping centre and a car parking. There will be new housing besides it.

The main road will be changed into a pedestrians only path which is futher linked to the trail of shops by the southern side of it. The park will be reduced to its size to give the space to carriageway. The planned development will change the town centre dramatically.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, including the new dual carriageway, the pedestrianization of the main road, and the changes to the shopping area. However, the description is somewhat superficial. For example, stating the park will be 'reduced to its size' is slightly unclear, and the mention of 'housing besides it' lacks specific location detail. While the overview is present, it could be more analytical by grouping the changes more effectively. The response addresses the prompt well enough to provide a clear summary, but it lacks the depth of comparison required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'First of all', 'Although', and 'The main road', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'right along with' in the introduction. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the unchanged areas to the significant developments in the town centre. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the specific details, though the flow between sentences could be smoother in the second paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'dual carriageway', 'pedestrians only path', and 'dramatically'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'hug change' (huge), 'rebuilt' (rebuilding), and 'futher' (further). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and ensure that word forms are used correctly (e.g., using 'redevelopment' instead of 'rebuilt').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'at far south' (in the far south), 'remain approximately same' (remain approximately the same), and 'reduced to its size' (reduced in size). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy. The control over articles and prepositions is inconsistent, which limits the score in this criterion.

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

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