Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05
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 maps describe how the islip town centre is looking like in present and it's development planning.
Overall, main road is surrounded by series of shops now which will be totally changed in proposed plan. Additionally, Bus station , Shopping centre and Cark parking also will be added in the development. where as park size will be reduced than current we have.
Firstly, in present the main road is centred between series of shops and road is from west to east. However, the shops out side of the shops will be removed and underhood new bust station, shopping centre and cark parking will be created there. Although , the shops on the south direction will be not removed. consequently the road will become rounded then it was used to be.
Secondly, there is dead end of the main road up to school before the housing is started. In contrast the in proposed plan it will be connected as curcuit and will be as cercular path connected it to west to east pathways as Dual carriageway . and new housing will be proposed there too. additionally Park size will be reduced too.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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 addition of the bus station, shopping centre, and car park, as well as the reduction in park size. However, the description is somewhat imprecise; for example, the claim that the road will become 'rounded' is vague and does not accurately reflect the proposed bypass or dual carriageway. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the current and proposed layouts lacks the necessary clarity and precision required for a higher band. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant transformations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'where as', 'consequently', and 'in contrast the in proposed plan'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships between the features described. While there is an overall progression, the logical flow is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures, which hinders the smooth delivery of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'cark parking', 'underhood', 'curcuit', and 'cercular'. These errors occasionally impede the reader's understanding. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey basic information but lacks the precision and flexibility needed to describe geographical changes effectively. There is a reliance on simple, repetitive language, and the student struggles with appropriate collocations, such as 'is looking like' instead of 'shows' or 'depicts'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include incorrect article usage ('the islip town centre'), subject-verb agreement ('shops... will be not removed'), and awkward sentence construction ('the shops out side of the shops will be removed'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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