Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-03
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)
I have anlaysed the current and the updated version of a center of a small town Islip. In present there is a main road with shops on one side and on the other side the Shops along with the park, school and the other facilities. But in the updated version it is totally changed as there is a dual carriageway covering the shops and other facilities. In the middle there is a path for the pedestrians only and on the one side of the path there is Bus Station along with Shopping Centre and Car Park while on the other side there are shops and housing of the people. Beyond the dual carriageway there is a School and also housing. The updated version is far better than the current one as it is more structured and well organised with all of the facilities. This make it easier for a person who wanted to go from one place to the other.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the task partially. While the student attempts to summarise the main changes between the current and planned maps of Islip, the selection of features is somewhat incomplete and lacks precision. Key developments, such as the specific transformation of the northern shops into a bus station, shopping centre, and car park, are overly generalised or omitted. Furthermore, the final two sentences include subjective personal opinions about the town being "far better" and making it "easier for a person," which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 response where an objective summary is required instead of personal evaluation. To reach higher bands, the writer must ensure all major spatial changes are accurately reported without introducing personal commentary.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response shows some organisation with basic sequencing words like "In present" and "in the updated version," but it lacks a clear overall progression. The writing is presented as a single dense paragraph rather than structured into logical paragraphs (such as an introduction, an overview, and detailed body paragraphs). Cohesive devices are used rather repetitively and mechanically, particularly the frequent reliance on "and" to join clauses. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the transition from describing physical map features directly into personal opinions at the end. To improve, the student should structure the essay into distinct paragraphs and employ a wider, more varied range of cohesive links to guide the reader smoothly through the comparison of the two maps.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic information about the town layout. The student attempts some less common terms like "dual carriageway" and "pedestrians only," but there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as writing "anlaysed" instead of analysed, and stating "in present" instead of at present. Word formation and collocation issues also appear, such as "housing of the people," which sounds unnatural. While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they restrict the response to a lower band. To achieve a higher score, the student should incorporate a broader range of precise vocabulary relating to spatial changes, urban planning, and geographic features, while ensuring correct spelling and natural collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and coordinate clauses joined by conjunctions. Attempts at more complex sentences tend to be basic or feature structural flaws, such as the run-on structure in "In the middle there is a path for the pedestrians only and on the one side of the path there is Bus Station along with Shopping Centre and Car Park while on the other side there are shops and housing of the people." There are frequent errors in articles ("a bus station", "a shopping centre"), prepositions, and punctuation. These persistent errors can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To progress, the student needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms with accurate punctuation, article usage, and subject-verb agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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