Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-18
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 given map illustrates the plan of town centre called Islip town centre now and the planned development with a detailed description.
The initial look on the present town centre seems quite simple but in development planning it will become in some round shape, which have extra and new shops and places compare to the present look. But the places of school and near the housing of that place remains same. While, new planned development changes one housing place and add one more near this. Also the location of park located in the part of the side of east dual carriageway.
The northen side of the dual carriageway, it has three conected quater first is bus station, second one is shopping centre and after that is car park in new planning in the replacement of one shop in present map.The main road changed its name as pedestrians only in the middle of the carriageway shape.
Overall, new planned development looks much convenient than present one with more exploration options.
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 response attempts to describe the main features of the current and planned maps of Islip. While the writer identifies several key changes, such as the introduction of a dual carriageway, a bus station, a shopping centre, and the pedestrianisation of the main road, the overview is rather vague ('it will become in some round shape'). Furthermore, some spatial descriptions are imprecise or difficult to follow, such as 'three conected quater first is bus station'. The response addresses the task and covers main features, but the development of ideas lacks precision, aligning it with Band 5.5 to 6.0. We award Band 6.0 as the key physical transformations are mentioned.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and an overall summary. However, logical progression within the body paragraphs is frequently disrupted by awkward referencing and cohesion issues, such as 'The northen side of the dual carriageway, it has three conected quater first is bus station...'. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion is mechanical and sometimes faulty. This fits the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive ('map', 'town centre', 'housing', 'shop'). There are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'in some round shape', 'exploration options', and 'near the housing of that place'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary result in inaccuracies. The lexical range is minimally adequate for the task, which corresponds to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response exhibits a very limited range of grammatical structures, and attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty or ungrammatical, for example: 'The initial look on the present town centre seems quite simple but in development planning it will become in some round shape, which have extra and new shops and places compare to the present look.' Frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, prepositions, and relative clauses ('which have', 'compare to') impede readability at times. This warrants a Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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