Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-02

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 4.0)

The maps below illustrate the center of a small town called islip as it now and plans for its development.

Overall, it is lucid that in islip town center now has been immensibly involve the changes that take place are the addition of new housing pedestrions or dual carrageway.

At present the countryside area is locate in the north. there are several shops siuted both sid of the main m,m,m,m,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly at only 70 words. Consequently, the task is only addressed minimally and the planned developments for Islip are left largely unexplored. While the writer attempts an introductory overview and touches upon the northern countryside and shops, the response is far too brief to properly select, report, and compare the main features of the two maps. To improve, the student must ensure they write at least 150 words and fully describe the changes, such as the introduction of the dual carriageway, the pedestrianised zone, and the new housing areas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The text suffers significantly from a lack of organization and progression due to its incomplete nature, consisting of only an introductory sentence, a fragmented second sentence, and a short, broken paragraph. Basic cohesive devices are attempted with phrases like 'Overall, it is lucid that' and 'At present', but these fail to connect a well-structured argument because the writing trails off into repetition and typographical errors ('m,m,m,m,'). Paragraphing is not properly utilized to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Achieving a higher standard requires logical sequencing, clear paragraph boundaries, and accurate cohesive ties to guide the reader smoothly through the comparison of the maps.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is very basic and limited, and communication is hindered by frequent spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'islip' instead of Islip, 'immensibly involve' instead of immensely involved, 'pedestrions' instead of pedestrians, 'carrageway' instead of carriageway, and 'siuted' instead of situated. Attempts to use less common lexical items result in incorrect forms and awkward collocations. To reach a higher level, the student needs to expand their vocabulary specifically for describing maps and geographical changes, ensuring correct spelling and appropriate word forms for terms like pedestrianized zones and dual carriageways.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is extremely limited, and control is poor. The text contains major structural errors, such as 'it is lucid that in islip town center now has been immensibly involve', which lacks a clear subject-verb relationship and mixes tense structures incorrectly. There are also punctuation and capitalization issues throughout, along with missing words and incomplete clauses, particularly towards the end of the response where sentences break down completely. To improve, the student must practice foundational sentence structures, ensure correct verb tense consistency when describing town plans, and eliminate basic punctuation and capitalization errors.

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

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