Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-02
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 5.0)
The following center show the difference of the Islip town center. We saw the Islip town center before and after development.
Overall, before and after shows the development of
the Islip town center. We saw that before the development we have the park in the east side of the town and school in the west side of the town center. We also saw that we have a lot of shops and main road are between the shops.
And after the development we have many changes in the town center. We have bus station, car parking, shopping center. We have a school in the south side and park in the east corner side of the town center, and a lot of shops there.
So there have a lot of changes we can see in the given diagrams before and after the developments in the Islip town center and now it is developed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to describe the changes in Islip, but it fails to provide a clear overview or a structured comparison. The description is repetitive and lacks the analytical depth required for an Academic Task 1 response. While the main features are mentioned, the lack of a clear summary and the reliance on simple listing rather than comparing the 'before' and 'after' states significantly limits the score. The response does not highlight the most significant changes effectively, such as the pedestrianisation of the main road or the relocation of the school.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks logical progression. It is written in a very repetitive style, using 'We saw' and 'We have' at the start of almost every sentence, which creates a mechanical and monotonous flow. Paragraphing is absent, making the text appear as a single block of information. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas; instead, the writer relies on simple conjunctions like 'and'. The overall structure is disjointed, and the lack of clear transitions between the 'before' and 'after' states makes the information difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive. The writer uses the same phrases throughout, such as 'town center', 'before', and 'after'. There is no attempt to use a range of vocabulary to describe spatial relationships or changes (e.g., 'demolished', 'expanded', 'converted', 'pedestrianised'). The word choice is limited to simple, everyday language, which is insufficient for an academic report. The lack of variety in word choice prevents the student from demonstrating the ability to describe the map features with precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The grammatical range is very limited, consisting almost entirely of simple sentences. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, such as 'The following center show' (subject-verb agreement), 'in the east side' (preposition usage), and 'So there have a lot of changes' (incorrect existential structure). The lack of complex sentence structures and the persistent errors in basic syntax and punctuation indicate a limited control over grammatical forms. The errors are noticeable and occasionally make the intended meaning slightly awkward to read.
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