Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-14
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 illustration gives information about Islip the centre of a small town and plans for its development. Overall, housing area, car park and school remains at the same location in both maps.
It is quite evident from the graph there is a countryside in north side and large housing in the west side of the centre. There are many shops between the countryside and housing. Amain road crosses from the center of shops. There is a school in south-east corner and a part in the east side of the town.
Moreover, planned development looks quite different from the current situation. There will be a dual carriageway rounded in the center. Out side of this there will be a school and a housing area. In the mind of this carriageway, there will be a park, a new housing area and several shops in south side and a bus station, a shoping centre, a car park, a new housing area and some shops in the north side.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to summarise the maps of Islip by highlighting several features and changes, such as the new dual carriageway and the rearrangement of shops and housing. However, the response falls short in several areas. The reporting is somewhat superficial and lacks accurate precision regarding spatial relationships. For instance, the reference to a 'part in the east side of the town' is vague and unclear. Furthermore, important comparisons between the current layout and the proposed developments are underdeveloped. While the writer identifies that certain features like the school and housing remain, the overall overview fails to clearly synthesise the fundamental transformation of the town centre, such as the pedestrianisation or the creation of the ring road. Consequently, this performance aligns with a Band 5.5 descriptor.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organised into three paragraphs: an introduction, a description of the current map, and a description of the future plan. This basic paragraphing provides a logical structure to the essay. However, coherence is hindered by mechanical and repetitive transitions, such as 'It is quite evident from the graph' and 'Moreover, planned development looks quite different'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'a part in the east side' or 'In the mind of this carriageway', which appear to be typographical or lexical errors affecting the flow. While there is a progression from present to future, the logical connections between sentences within paragraphs are sometimes weak, leading to a Band 5.0 score for this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, with frequent word-choice errors that occasionally impede understanding. Examples include 'housing area', 'shoping centre' (spelling error), and 'In the mind of this carriageway' (likely meaning in the middle or centre). The writer attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'dual carriageway', but struggles with accurate collocation and spelling. The range of vocabulary is restricted to simple terms like 'shops', 'school', and 'car park', which are repeated throughout the text. These limitations restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.0, as the vocabulary is barely adequate for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures are frequently marred by grammatical errors. Examples of inaccurate structures and grammar include 'housing area, car park and school remains at the same location' (subject-verb agreement error), 'there is a countryside' (article omission/countable-uncountable confusion), and 'Amain road' (spacing and spelling error). Punctuation and prepositions are also handled inconsistently, such as 'in north side' instead of 'on the north side'. Although meaning can generally be deciphered, the high frequency of basic errors places this response firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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