Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-27
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 two map illustrates the centre of a tiny town called Islip as it is present, and plans for its development.
Overall, currently, north and south side of the road have shops and middle of the school and park have housing. Islip town centre have developing bus station and new housing.
To begin with, Islip town centre currently is very simple. Behind the countrysids a shops and south side have a shops. Main road has middle of the the shops. East side have park and west side has school and the middle of that have housing.
Furthermore, Islip town centre will completely development so there shaps are totally change. Moreover, the western side are developed bus station and the northern side have shopping centre and beside that car park. West side have pedestrians only and east side has new housing. Shops are the north side and park corner of the map east side. Dual carrkageway are the west side and school are has behind the lene.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by comparing the two maps of Islip, noting some of the main changes such as the introduction of a bus station, shopping centre, and dual carriageway. However, the overview is extremely basic and lacks clarity. Furthermore, many features are described vaguely or inaccurately, such as stating that 'shaps are totally change' and struggling to pinpoint locations precisely. Key comparisons between the current layout and the proposed developments are underdeveloped. This performance aligns with Band 4.5, but is rounded to Band 5.0 as the candidate does attempt to report several key features.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into short paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by poor sentence structure and confusing cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'Furthermore' which do not naturally connect the spatial information. Referencing is often unclear (e.g., 'middle of that have housing'), making it difficult for the reader to follow the geographical changes. Paragraphing is present but basic. This falls squarely into Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is very basic, repetitive, and often inaccurate (e.g., 'countrysids', 'carrkageway', 'lene'). The student attempts some less common terms like 'development' and 'pedestrians only', but spelling and word-form errors are frequent ('illustrates' is mistyped as 'illustrate' in plural context, 'shaps' instead of 'shops'). The lexical range is limited and inadequate for a precise description of map changes, causing strain for the reader at times. This warrants a Band 4.5, rounded to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
Grammatical control is weak throughout the response. There are frequent basic errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The two map illustrates', 'Islip town centre have developing'), missing articles ('Behind the countrysids a shops'), and awkward prepositional phrases ('are the west side'). Complex structures are rarely attempted, and when they are, they are heavily flawed. Simple sentences dominate, but even these contain errors. This corresponds to Band 4.5, rounded to 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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