Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-20
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 compares the changes that will occur in the middle of a tiny town called Islip before and after development.
Overall, a dual carriageway is planned to cover the center from all sides. There is the addition of two housing schemes as well as a bus station, car park, and shopping center side by side on one side of the pedestrian path.
As on the north side of town, there is a plan to convert the countryside area and shops into a new housing scheme, as one of the northeastern corners, a car park on the west of the new housing, and a shopping center adjacent to the bus station on the northwestern side. The main road will be converted into a pedestrian path, as shops will be on the south-western side of the path.
There is a plan for the construction of a dual carriageway that touches every corner of the town to create easiness for inhabitants. On the south side of the middle of town, a new housing scheme will be added on the western side on the other side of the school. The park is is on tsoutheastern side,ide and the school is adjacent on the southwestern side, adjacent to the curve of carriageway.
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, housing schemes, and the conversion of the main road into a pedestrian path. However, the description of locations is occasionally confusing, such as the phrase 'on the north side of town, there is a plan to convert the countryside area and shops into a new housing scheme, as one of the northeastern corners'. The relationship between the existing features and the proposed changes could be more clearly contrasted. While all key elements are identified, the spatial relationships are sometimes imprecise, which limits the clarity of the report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'As on the north side', but some referencing is unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the description of the school and park becomes repetitive and difficult to follow. The use of linking words is somewhat mechanical, and the logical flow between sentences could be improved to better guide the reader through the map changes.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'dual carriageway', 'pedestrian path', and 'housing scheme'. However, there is limited variety, and some phrasing is awkward or repetitive, such as 'on the other side of the school' and 'on the southwestern side'. There are also minor errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'create easiness for inhabitants', which is not natural English. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider range of vocabulary to describe spatial changes and urban development.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues. For example, 'The park is is on tsoutheastern side,ide' contains clear typographical errors and repetition. There are also issues with preposition usage and sentence construction, such as 'as one of the northeastern corners, a car park on the west...'. These errors do not typically impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to proofreading and sentence structure variety would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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