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 given maps provide information about Islip a small town, comparing how is it now and after development.
Overall, it can be seen that the town has been extended.The area became more developed, with several new facilities being added and some existing features being replaced.
To begin with, On the Northern side of the map there used to be a village and in the center of the town there were some shops across both side of the main road. on the eastern side of the town there used to be a park next to the shops and on the south side there was a school next to the housing.
Furthermore, After the redevelopment a road was constructed around the town center and bus, shopping centers and car park introduced. The road demolished which used to be in the middle of the Islip. While now the pedestrian area build and new housing area is introduced.
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 attempts to address the prompt by describing the changes between the two maps of Islip. An overview is provided, noting that the town has been extended and new facilities added, though it is slightly brief. Key features are reported, such as the introduction of a dual carriageway, a pedestrianised central street, and new housing areas. However, there are some inaccuracies and omissions in the spatial reporting; for instance, the text claims a village used to be in the northern area where countryside and shops were actually located, and some descriptions of road layouts lack precision. Despite these limitations, the main developmental changes are captured adequately, placing the response at Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is organised into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific changes. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'Furthermore' are used to structure the response, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is appropriately utilised to separate general trends from specific spatial details. However, referencing is sometimes unclear, and the logical progression occasionally falters due to abrupt shifts between locations on the map. Overall arrangement is coherent enough to follow the general narrative, supporting a Band 6.0 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts to incorporate less common items relevant to map descriptions, such as 'redevelopment', 'constructed', and 'pedestrian area'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'comparing how is it now', 'bus, shopping centers and car park introduced' (missing prepositions/verbs), and 'pedestrian area build'. Spelling and word formation errors, such as missing articles and awkward phrasing, occur but do not completely impede communication. This performance aligns with the Band 5.5 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures like 'was constructed' and subordinate clauses such as 'While now the pedestrian area build'. However, control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, including tense and voice issues ('how is it now', 'the road demolished', 'area build'), missing auxiliary verbs, and punctuation slips. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, although meaning can generally be deciphered. This reflects the characteristics of a Band 5.5 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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