Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-27
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 given map illuastrates the centre of a small town called islip as it is now, and plans for its development.
Islip town centre now has a countryside, shops,main road, some shops, housing, park , school and four directions i.e; north, west,east and south.
Acc. to the planned development, There are four sides north, west, east and south, a bus station, shopping centre, a car park, a new housing, colony for pedestrians only, Some shops, housing, new housing, park and a school.
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 82 words. This significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task. While the student identifies some features of the maps, the summary is superficial and lacks the necessary depth to describe the changes effectively. There is no clear overview or synthesis of the main trends, such as the pedestrianisation of the town centre or the addition of new infrastructure. The response is essentially a list of features rather than a structured report, which prevents it from meeting the requirements for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response lacks logical paragraphing and a clear structure. It consists of a brief introduction and a list-like description of the map features. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas or compare the 'now' and 'planned' states. The progression of information is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the development of the town centre. To improve, the student should group related features into paragraphs and use linking words to compare the two maps.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'shops', 'housing', and 'park', which are taken directly from the prompt. There is no attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'pedestrianised', 'expanded', 'relocated', or 'transformed'. Additionally, there are spelling errors such as 'illuastrates' and 'islip' (which should be capitalized as a proper noun). The range is insufficient to convey the information with any degree of precision or variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical range is extremely limited, consisting mostly of simple, fragmented sentences or lists. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for a higher band. Punctuation is also problematic, particularly the misuse of semicolons and commas in the second paragraph. Errors in capitalization and basic sentence construction are frequent. The response lacks the variety and control required to demonstrate a higher level of grammatical competence.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.