Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-17
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 pictures illustrate the changes that will take place in the Islip town centre after planned development.
Overall, the town centre will go through major changes after the development. Many new things will be constructed, rebuilt and developed in the future. The main is expanded and it will cover the whole centre in the future.
At present, there is a main road in the middle of the town centre but after development it will be used for pedestrians only and the dual carriageway is expand and will loop the whole centre. similarly the park will be connected with the road and will shrink a little in future while the housing will remain the same except it will also be connected to road .
Furthermore, new buildings will be constructed like bus station, shopping centre and car parking which all will be connected to main road and a new housing will also be added by removing upper shops.
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 changes shown on the maps, such as the pedestrianisation of the central road, the addition of the dual carriageway loop, the removal of the northern shops to make way for a bus station, shopping centre, and car park, and alterations to the park and housing. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting that the town centre undergoes major changes. However, some descriptions lack precision, such as stating 'the main is expanded' and minor inaccuracies regarding road connectivity. Overall, all parts of the task are addressed adequately, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific structural changes. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'At present', and 'Furthermore', though some transitions are basic or mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the comparison between current and planned layouts. Referencing is generally clear, but some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to phrasing, resulting in a cohesive score of 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, including terms like 'pedestrians only', 'dual carriageway', 'bus station', and 'shopping centre'. However, there are notable word choice and phrasing errors, such as 'the main is expanded' (missing noun) and 'car parking' instead of 'car park'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are partially successful, but limitations in precision and collocation place this firmly in the Band 6.0 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures ('will be constructed, rebuilt and developed') and relative clauses. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'the dual carriageway is expand', missing articles, and run-on clauses connected by coordinating conjunctions ('...and a new housing will also be added...'). These errors occasionally disrupt flow but do not impede overall communication, fitting the descriptor for Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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