Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-01
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 maps depicts the present look and future proposed developments of a town center in Islip.
Overall, the current main road will be changed into roundabout with dual carriageway and some new shops and housing along with pedestrains walk will be constructed replacing the old shops in the sideways of the main road.
Beginning with the current map, it has a main one way road stretching from west to east in the center of the town with shops on each sides. Furthermore, there is a park on the eastern side and a school located on the western side whereas housing is betweeen.
On the other hand, the proposed plan for future development shows the center will be reconstructed with a rounda
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response addresses the task only partially, and importantly, it fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, finishing well short at only 121 words. Furthermore, the response is incomplete and trails off mid-sentence at the end due to running out of time or ideas. While an overview is attempted in the second paragraph mentioning the main road changes and the addition of a pedestrian walk and shops, the details are limited and under-developed. Key features of the maps, such as the new bus station, shopping centre, and the dual carriageway loop, are either missed or cut off before they can be properly described, resulting in a minimal and incomplete response to the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some basic organization present, with an introductory paragraph, an overview attempt, and the start of body paragraphs describing the maps. However, because the text cuts off abruptly in the middle of a sentence, there is no clear overall progression or conclusion. Cohesive devices are basic and repetitive, such as starting paragraphs with phrases like 'Beginning with the current map' and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final section is incomplete, which disrupts the logical flow and structural integrity of the report as a whole.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to describe the basic layout of the town, featuring words like 'center', 'shops', 'park', and 'school'. There are some noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'present look' instead of 'current layout', 'sideways of the main road' instead of 'sides of the main road', and a spelling error in 'pedestrains'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are sparse and occasionally inaccurate, which sometimes causes slight strain for the reader when trying to picture the exact spatial relationships described.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer uses a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with occasional attempts at complex forms that often contain errors. There are frequent grammatical mistakes, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'The maps depicts', missing articles such as 'in center of the town' and 'on each sides', and incorrect prepositions like 'housing is betweeen'. Punctuation and phrasing are occasionally awkward. These frequent errors in basic grammatical patterns and the incomplete final sentence can cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a restricted control of grammatical structures.
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