Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-07

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)

First map of Islip town show us the school on the South side, park on the East side and others are on the North side. The Countryside,shops,main road housing are close each other and on the North side but there are some of housing on the South side.Park locates on the East side and the opposite side is school.

In planned development, They add the Dual carriageway in whole town and they also add the bus station,car park and new housing on the north side. The school, parking and housing connects to the dual carriageway.

In comparsion, we discuss about the route of both maps and others things. First of all, dual carriageway are in planned development but there is no carriageway now. Shopping centre are available in development but it is not available now.Bus station and new housing scheme is available in planned development but there is none.

Planned development of Islip town centre is very beneficial for everyone. It provide many facialites to the peoples and peoples save their time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the current layout and the proposed changes, the description lacks precision in spatial referencing (e.g., 'others are on the North side' is vague). The final paragraph includes subjective commentary ('very beneficial for everyone'), which is not required for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, focus on objective reporting of the changes, such as the relocation of shops or the expansion of housing, rather than evaluating the benefits of the development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'In comparison' and 'First of all'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of features. The progression of ideas is present but lacks sophistication; for instance, the transition between the current state and the planned development could be smoother to better highlight the contrast.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors like 'add' and 'available'. There are also some errors in word choice and form, such as 'facialites' (facilities) and 'peoples' (people). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to urban planning, such as 'infrastructure', 'residential zone', 'bypass', or 'integrated'.

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. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'map... show us', 'Park locates'), missing articles (e.g., 'add the Dual carriageway'), and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'there is none'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent and affect the overall fluency of the text. Focusing on basic sentence construction and article usage would significantly improve the clarity of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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