Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-25

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)

Going to summarise the islip town centre now . at the north side there is countryside then after shops at centre main road is there and then shop. It means on both side shops are there and in centre road is going. Thereafter house is there near house park is there on right side and left side school is there . this was the centre that is now . and new development is going to start and the change is that bus station is added and instead of northside shop they added much things that is new housing , bus station , shopping centre , car park and pedestrian

etc. they added dual carriageway north to south side , south to east , east to north . often there is much different from the old islip centre town . Therefore there is much better decision from old one to new one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student attempts to describe the changes shown in the two maps of Islip town centre. However, the response falls short in several areas. While some main features are mentioned, such as the addition of a bus station, shopping centre, and dual carriageway, the description is disorganized and misses key spatial relationships. Furthermore, personal opinions and evaluations are included at the end ("Therefore there is much better decision from old one to new one"), which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 response where an objective summary is required. The overview is weak, and the selection of features lacks proper structuring, aligning the response with a Band 5 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text lacks proper paragraphing, consisting of one long, poorly structured block of text. Cohesive devices are either missing or misused, relying on repetitive transitions like "thereafter" and "and then". There is no clear progression of ideas from the current layout to the future plans; instead, details about shops, roads, and housing are jumbled together. Reference words are unclear at times, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial comparisons between the two maps. This level of organization reflects a Band 4.5 to 5.0 performance, earning a 5.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive (e.g., "shop", "house", "added", "much"). There is a limited range of lexical items appropriate for describing geographical changes and urban development. Words are often misused or lack precision, such as "much things that is new housing" and "much different from the old islip centre town". Spelling and word formation are generally basic, and advanced or less common vocabulary is virtually absent. This demonstrates a limited, minimally adequate range characteristic of Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most sentences are simple or poorly coordinated with excessive use of "and". There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ("at north side", "near house park is there"), subject-verb agreement issues ("shop is there and then shop. It means on both side shops are there"), and incorrect capitalization and punctuation throughout the text. Complex structures are attempted clumsily, and frequent errors cause strain for the reader, placing this submission firmly at a Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0 based on positive achievement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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