Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-30
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 given map illustrates the hall Centre lies in a small town known as Islip now and after its development.
Overall, it can be observed from the given map that there will be several changes after its development , the most noticeable being the increase in Dual carriageway.
Islip town Centre now, justifying the west side of the map there has been main road passing straight through the town to the east side. There are various shops on the both sides of the main road of the countryside towards north direction. Moving downwards from the road towards the south there is children school at the end of the main road. However, there is one park constructed , and rest of the area in town Centre are for housing.
Islip town Centre planned development, the straight main road will converted to Dual carriageway covering all the shops and rest of the area. there will be bus station in left near shopping Centre and car park at right in north. However, a new housing will be added to the main road. the shops on the opposite side of the road will remain same. the area for park will reduce because of new housing near it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, including the conversion of the road to a dual carriageway and the addition of new facilities like the bus station and car park. However, the description is somewhat disjointed and lacks a clear, professional overview. While the main changes are identified, the spatial descriptions are occasionally confusing, such as the reference to 'justifying the west side' or the unclear location of the school. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview clearly synthesizes the most significant trends rather than just listing features, and provide more precise spatial references to help the reader visualize the changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the flow between sentences is often mechanical and sometimes lacks logical progression. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as the abrupt transition 'Islip town Centre planned development'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships between the current and future states. Improving the use of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. Phrases like 'remain same' and 'rest of the area' are functional but basic. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'justifying the west side' and 'children school'. To improve, you should aim to use more specific vocabulary related to urban planning and map description, such as 'infrastructure', 'pedestrianized', 'relocated', or 'expanded'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and adverbs will help you convey the changes more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles ('there will be bus station'), incorrect verb forms ('will converted'), and punctuation errors. Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage also need attention (e.g., 'shops on the both sides'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for articles and verb tenses will lead to immediate improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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