Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-11
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 diagrams illustrate Islip town centre in the present time and the detailed diagram of of the town after development.
Overall, the development plan is considered to develop new road system to town covering all the buildings and buildings are saturated in to the center of town and number of resouces and buildings are increases in developed plan.
In the present view of town, number of shops in between the main road and housing is built in the south to the shops. Park is located east to the housing and can reach to the park at the right bend of main road. School is at the bottom of the housing.
According to the new plan, all the structures saturated in the middle of the town and people have assess to all places in one road. There is a dual carriageway and by using that people have direct assess to the houses, school from one side and from other side for shopping centre, car park, bus station and shops. The middle road is only for pedestrians.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the new road system and the relocation of facilities. However, the overview is somewhat unclear and contains inaccuracies, such as the claim that all buildings are 'saturated' in the center, which is not fully supported by the visual data. The description of the present town is a bit disjointed, and the comparison between the two maps could be more precise. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant changes—such as the transition from a single main road to a dual carriageway and the pedestrianization of the town center—rather than listing minor details. The response addresses the task requirements but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as the phrase 'In the present view of town' and 'According to the new plan'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing locations (e.g., 'bottom of the housing'). While the paragraphing is logical, the transitions between sentences could be smoother to improve the flow of information. Strengthening the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'saturated' to describe the location of buildings and 'assess' instead of 'access'. The repetition of basic terms like 'buildings' and 'town' limits the range. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more specific vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'pedestrianized zone', 'infrastructure', 'relocated', or 'integrated'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated lexical control prevents a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'number of resouces and buildings are increases' (subject-verb agreement and tense error) and 'people have assess to all places in one road' (preposition and word choice error). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction is often clunky. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring they are error-free will help elevate the grammatical accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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