Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-01
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 map illustrate the small town named Islip as it is now plan for its development.
overall, the town development is significantly different and changed many things. In the fist picture didn't have many shop, dual carriageway and others things like plan to add in second diagram.
in the town made plan to developed many things. in first make housing all countryside area and made big area for all shop. Add bus station, shopping center, car park in country side area near by shop. in the right corner side of shop have parking make small then now .
The planed to making school near the housing. the main road make pedestrians only. The plan is change many things and make this all in large area. and add more facilities in new development. change main road and add others things. this is the good planed to develop small town to big town.
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 attempts to describe the changes between the two maps, but it fails to provide a clear or accurate summary. The description of the town's development is fragmented and lacks precision. For example, the mention of 'housing all countryside area' is vague and does not accurately reflect the specific locations shown on the map. Furthermore, the response fails to make meaningful comparisons between the current state and the proposed plans, instead listing features in a disjointed manner. The overview is also weak, as it does not effectively highlight the main trends or significant changes, such as the conversion of the main road into a pedestrian zone or the expansion of housing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is severely lacking. The sentences are often disconnected, and the use of cohesive devices is either absent or misused, such as the repetitive and awkward use of 'in first' and 'in the right corner side'. The referencing is unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial relationships described. The overall structure is mechanical, and the lack of transition between the description of the current town and the proposed development hinders the flow of information significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'things', 'make', and 'small'. There is a lack of precise terminology required for describing maps, such as 'infrastructure', 'residential area', 'pedestrianised', or 'relocated'. Many word choices are inaccurate or inappropriate for the context, such as 'countryside area' to describe the town's outskirts or 'make parking' instead of 'construct' or 'provide'. The spelling errors and incorrect word forms (e.g., 'planed', 'developed' used as a noun) further restrict the ability to convey information clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There is a lack of control over basic sentence structures, with many fragments and run-on sentences. Subject-verb agreement is often ignored (e.g., 'The map illustrate', 'The planed to making'), and there is a consistent misuse of articles and prepositions. Complex structures are attempted but are almost always grammatically incorrect, leading to confusion. The punctuation is also inconsistent, which makes the text difficult to read. The majority of sentences contain errors, and the range of structures is very narrow, consisting mostly of simple, poorly constructed clauses.
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