Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-15
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 map illustrates the structure of the present Islip town centre and its future development. Overall, it is noticeable that some features will remain same, the town will become more residential with the addition of some extra features.
Turning to the details, presently, the main road is situated between a large number of shops. Moreover, a park is located on the east side of the housing society. In addition, on the southern side of the town, there is a school situated near the housing area. The park area and school connected to the main road,
In the future, the centre will be redeveloped by the addition of new features. The main road will be replaced by only pedestrains. Furthermore, shops area will be converted into a bus station, a car park and a shopping centre. Similarly, a dual carriageway will be developed on the west side of the centre. Following this, the main road will be built again. Lastly, housing, school and lower shops area will be remained same.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student covers the main features of the maps by highlighting the most significant changes, such as the pedestrianisation of the main road, the introduction of a dual carriageway, and the addition of new commercial and residential zones. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting that some features will remain while others will change. However, there are some inaccuracies and misinterpretations in reporting the details: for instance, stating that 'the main road will be built again' contradicts the plan where it becomes a pedestrianized zone, and the description of the dual carriageway placement is slightly imprecise. Despite these minor misreadings, all parts of the task are addressed adequately, fitting the Band 6 descriptor for covering the task reasonably well with some under-developed or unclear points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall arrangement and follows a logical progression from an introduction to general features, then details of the current map, and finally the future plan. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different sections of the essay. Cohesive devices such as 'Turning to the details', 'presently', 'In addition', and 'In the future' are employed to guide the reader through the text, although some referencing and transitional links feel a bit mechanical or abrupt, such as 'Following this, the main road will be built again.' Overall, cohesion is generally clear and manageable, placing the response solidly in Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating appropriate terms related to town planning and geography, such as 'residential', 'pedestrians', 'dual carriageway', and 'redeveloped'. There are some word choice and spelling errors, such as 'remain same' instead of 'remain the same', and 'pedestrains' instead of 'pedestrians'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success. While communication is not impeded, the presence of these errors and the occasional lack of precision prevent the response from achieving a higher band, making Band 6 appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including introductory dependent clauses ('Turning to the details, presently...') and passive constructions ('will be redeveloped', 'will be replaced'). However, there are notable grammatical errors throughout the text, such as missing articles ('lower shops area will be remained same' instead of 'the lower shop area will remain the same') and incorrect verb forms ('will be remained'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but sentence structures can be clumsy. Because errors occur frequently but rarely impede overall communication, the writing meets the criteria for Band 5.5, which is rounded to 6.0 in accordance with standard IELTS scaling when balancing mixed descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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