Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-19
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 given diagrams illustrates the development of small village known as Islip as it is now that including shops, houses and some other buildings.
There are tow diagrams that displays the present and future improvement of small town. The major trend of this project will be bus station for busses, create large shopping center and car parking. They also built the Park for people who love natures and want fresh air and best best school of town.
Initially, the development plan will make roads that connect with cities. New housing will be start and also furnished the old Housing. However, the thing in this plan will be dual carriageway and the best part is that school will be there.
Although, shops connecting with mall and contain car parking, shopping center and bus station. Pedestrians only will be highlight of future plan and the main road will be there but highway attached with it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the main features of the Islip development plans, such as the new housing, shopping center, and road changes. However, the description is often vague and lacks precision. For example, the mention of 'some other buildings' and 'the thing in this plan' fails to clearly identify the specific changes shown in the diagrams. The report lacks a clear overview of the most significant changes, such as the shift from a residential-focused town to one with a major commercial and transport infrastructure. The information provided is somewhat disorganized, making it difficult for the reader to visualize the transformation from the present to the future state.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is weak. The transition between the present state and future plans is disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For instance, the use of 'Although' at the beginning of the final paragraph does not logically connect to the preceding information. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'the thing in this plan', which does not effectively point to any specific feature. The overall structure lacks a cohesive flow that would guide the reader through the comparison of the two maps.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive, which restricts the ability to describe the maps with precision. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'best best school' and 'nature' (used as 'natures'). The student relies on basic terminology like 'shops', 'houses', and 'buildings', failing to use more descriptive or academic vocabulary appropriate for a report on urban planning (e.g., 'residential zone', 'commercial development', 'infrastructure'). Some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'Pedestrians only will be highlight of future plan', which hinders the clarity of the intended message.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'diagrams illustrates', 'New housing will be start') and article usage. The sentence structures are predominantly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as 'the thing in this plan will be dual carriageway'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and there are several spelling errors, such as 'tow' instead of 'two'. These persistent errors indicate a lack of control over basic grammatical structures, which 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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