Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)
There is a country side with shops and a main road middle and a area of housing and park and school in the town center there is a circled road with bus station shopping center car park new housing shops parks schools etc. Dual carriageway this can be very fascinating idea of the map where can be no traffic bases on it there is a full security for school housing people
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 71 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. The summary lacks a clear overview of the main features and fails to make the necessary comparisons between the current town layout and the proposed development. The description is fragmented and does not provide a coherent report of the information presented in the maps. To improve, you must describe the key changes, such as the addition of the bypass and the relocation of facilities, while ensuring the response is of sufficient length to fully cover the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response lacks paragraphing and logical progression. Ideas are presented in a disjointed manner, making it difficult for the reader to follow the intended meaning. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences or ideas, and the overall structure is not appropriate for an academic report. To improve, you should organize your writing into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and detailed body paragraphs that compare the two maps using linking words like 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'subsequently'.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying on simple nouns like 'shops', 'housing', and 'park'. There is no attempt to use more sophisticated or academic vocabulary appropriate for describing maps or urban development. Phrases such as 'can be very fascinating idea' are unnatural and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you need to use a wider range of vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'pedestrianised', 'infrastructure', 'relocated', or 'expanded', and ensure that your word choices are accurate and contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles, incorrect verb forms, and run-on sentences. For example, 'There is a country side with shops and a main road middle' lacks proper prepositional usage and sentence structure. The writing consists almost entirely of simple, poorly constructed sentences, with no evidence of complex structures. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, before attempting more complex grammatical structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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