Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-26
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 illustrates the present view of a small town centre called Islip and the plans for the town centre development.
Overall, there are some significant changes in the development plan of the town centre. Bus station, shopping centre, new housing, dual carriageway and pedestrians are newly added, while shops, car parks, housing are relocated.
Looking at the maps in more details, on the northern side there were shops in the past, but in new plan Bus station, shopping centre and car park are newly added. Shops are remain same. On the east side new housings are newly added and a dual carriageway are added by the authority surrounding the whole town centre.
On the western and southern side some changes are noticeable. New housing are added there, while car park and school are remain same. Housings are relocated as well. Pedestrians only are newly added in the middle of the town centre. A new road is planned linking to the northern side car park.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the town centre development, including the addition of the bus station, shopping centre, and the dual carriageway. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with details from the maps. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting; for example, you state that 'shops are remain same' on the northern side, but the map indicates they are replaced by a new shopping centre. Additionally, the description of the 'pedestrians' area is slightly vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that your observations are strictly aligned with the visual data provided and avoid contradictory statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the town. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'on the northern side' and 'on the western and southern side' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by repetitive sentence structures and some mechanical transitions. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the progression between sentences is smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure could benefit from more sophisticated cohesive links to connect the ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'relocated', 'development plan', and 'dual carriageway'. However, there is a reliance on repetitive phrasing, such as the frequent use of 'newly added' and 'are added'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'The maps illustrates' (subject-verb agreement) and 'pedestrians only are newly added' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of verbs and nouns to describe changes, such as 'transformed', 'converted', or 'demolished', and pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Common issues include subject-verb agreement errors, such as 'The maps illustrates' and 'Shops are remain same', as well as incorrect pluralization, such as 'New housing are added'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing map changes. Proofreading for these specific types of errors will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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