Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-24
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 maps illustrate that Islip town centre is being built. At the first map on the Northern side shops, main road and below main road ,housing society is being constructed and a school at the southern area.
Overall, park is being constructed at the eastern area ,Islip town centre is being redeveloped ,and its structured has altered .
On the new map the ,the restructured was done by constructed new housing scheme at the southern area ,besides new housing scheme another housing was built.
Furthermore, at the western area a Bus station was constructed ,besides bus station ,a shopping centre and a Car park was built. on the other hand at the eastern area another another New housing society is being constructed.
Moreover, a pedestrian was constructed for individuals between a bus station and shop. On the southern area a dual carriageway was initiated for the development of Islip town centre. School remains at the same place of the map. Three new housing societies were constructed at the Islip town centre.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the new housing, bus station, and road changes. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. The student identifies the school remaining in the same place, which is good, but the overall summary is slightly disjointed. The information is presented in a list-like fashion rather than a cohesive report, which limits the ability to fully compare the 'before' and 'after' states effectively. To improve, focus on grouping related changes (e.g., transport infrastructure vs. residential development) to provide a more structured summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response uses some basic cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand'. However, the paragraphing is ineffective, and the logical flow between sentences is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'the restructured was done by constructed', which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of the development plans. The overall arrangement is mechanical, and the lack of clear topic sentences for each paragraph hinders the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'constructed', 'built', and 'housing society'. There are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'its structured has altered' and 'a pedestrian was constructed'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning of the task, it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band score. To improve, the student should learn more varied verbs for describing map changes, such as 'transformed', 'expanded', 'demolished', or 'relocated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('its structured has altered'), incorrect word forms ('the restructured was done by constructed'), and missing articles ('a pedestrian was constructed'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction 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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