Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-29
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 current and the planned development of the centre of a small town called Islip in the upcoming years.
Overall, it is crystal clear that there will be huge changes in the development of the town. Some locations will be demolished like countryside and some of them will be replaced or moved to different locations. Many more facilities like a bus station, shopping centre, etc will be available for the residents.
At a fleeting glance, the main road will be converted to pedestrians zone only, the main road will be divided into two directions left and right, in between there will be shops, stations, crossing that it will be merged into single road in the opposite direction. Shops in the north of the main road will be removed and new buildings will be established, the bus station in the western side, shopping centre and car park in the middle.
Moving ahead, new housing is constructed alongside with park, also in the east side new housing along with a single road leading to main road. Dual carriageway will be introduced in western side next to road. Park area will be reduced in the upcoming years.
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 current layout and the proposed developments, noting the addition of the dual carriageway, pedestrianisation of the central street, and new amenities like the bus station and shopping centre. However, there are some inaccuracies in the description of spatial relationships. For instance, the student states that the countryside will be demolished, whereas the map shows the countryside located beyond the northern shops, which are replaced by the new facilities. Additionally, the overview is somewhat informal in tone ('it is crystal clear'). While the main developments are captured, the progression and selection of features could be more rigorously developed to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is divided into introductory, overview, and body paragraphs, providing a logical framework for the analysis. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At a fleeting glance', and 'Moving ahead' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel slightly unnatural or colloquial for an academic response (e.g., 'At a fleeting glance'). Paragraphing is generally appropriate, but the internal cohesion of sentences sometimes falters due to punctuation errors and run-on structures, making the progression of ideas occasionally bumpy rather than smooth.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts to incorporate topic-specific terms like 'demolished', 'pedestrians zone', 'dual carriageway', and 'facilities'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'pedestrians zone only' instead of 'pedestrianised zone', and 'alongside with park'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but their usage lacks precision and control. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical range remains somewhat limited.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and conditional ideas. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several run-on sentences and punctuation slips, such as 'the main road will be divided into two directions left and right, in between there will be shops, stations, crossing that it will be merged into single road'. Articles and prepositions are occasionally misused (e.g., 'in western side'). While meaning is usually retrievable, frequent structural errors prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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