Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-09

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 maps illustrate the centre of a small town called islip and showed its developed map.

About the current condition, the centre is not quit well in contrast to the planned development and there are less opportunities provided in this condition. Overall, the facilities are more in the developed islip town than in the current condition of the town.

In the developed town there are dual carriage way system in contrast the current town has no dual system. In the developed centre the facilities like bus station, shopping centre, and car pak are extra provided in the developed one rather than old one.

however there is huge difference in the maps, in the developed town the map is round shaped while in the current state the town is in the rectangular shaped. There is no main road in the developed town but in the old town main road is in the centre of the town.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by comparing the current and planned maps of Islip. However, the analysis is superficial. You mention the addition of a bus station and shopping centre, but you fail to describe the spatial layout or the removal of existing features like the housing area. The description of the 'round' versus 'rectangular' shape is inaccurate based on the provided maps, suggesting a lack of careful observation. To improve, ensure you report the main features accurately and provide a more comprehensive overview of the changes, such as the pedestrianisation of the town centre, rather than focusing on subjective opinions about the town's 'condition'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'in contrast' and 'however', they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a repetitive manner. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus—for example, grouping all infrastructure changes together versus all residential changes—to create a more logical flow of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'condition', 'developed', and 'extra provided'. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'not quit well' and 'car pak' (spelling error). To reach a higher band, you need to use more precise vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'pedestrianised', 'infrastructure', 'residential area', or 'redevelopment'. Avoid informal phrasing and focus on using collocations correctly to describe the changes shown in the diagrams.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'there are less opportunities' (should be 'fewer'), 'there are dual carriage way system' (missing article and pluralisation), and 'in the developed centre the facilities... are extra provided'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking proper capitalisation or ending in run-on structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.