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)
The maps below illustrates the centre of a small town called islip as it is now, and plans for its development. In 2026 there is a countryside , some shops, a main road, some shops, two housings a park and a school. and two housings and four sides namely: North , west, south and east. Whereas in planned development there are four sides i.e; north, west, east and south there is a bus station, shopping centre, car park, new housing for pedestrians only, some shops, a dual
carriageway
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 is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the ability to provide a comprehensive summary or meaningful comparisons. The content is fragmented and lacks a clear overview of the main trends or significant changes. While some features are mentioned, the description is disjointed and fails to synthesize the information effectively. The response does not adequately address the task of reporting main features or making comparisons, resulting in a very limited and underdeveloped response that fails to meet the basic requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response lacks a logical structure or paragraphing. Ideas are presented in a list-like fashion without effective cohesive devices to link them. The progression of information is unclear, and the lack of sentence structure makes it difficult to follow the comparison between the current town and the planned development. There is no clear introduction or conclusion, and the overall arrangement of information is disjointed, which hinders the reader's ability to grasp the intended meaning.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'some shops' and 'housings'. There is no attempt to use a range of vocabulary appropriate for describing maps or urban development. The terminology used is limited, and there are errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'four sides' to describe the layout. The lexical range is insufficient to convey the information with any degree of precision or sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('The maps below illustrates'), punctuation, and sentence construction. Many sentences are incomplete or lack proper structure, such as 'and two housings and four sides namely: North , west, south and east.' The lack of complex sentence structures and the high frequency of errors make the text difficult to read and understand. The control over basic grammar is weak, and there is no evidence of a range of structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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