Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-05

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 maps illustrate the information regarding Islip

town centre as it is in present and how it will be in the future after renovation.

Overall, it can be seen that overall development is expected of town centre in the future. However, various facilities such as bus station, car park and shopping centre will be provided at the town centre . whereas, some housing areas are expected to demolish.

To begin with , shops will be converted into bus station, shopping centre, cark park and housing areas which are situated in the northern side of main road .while , southern side shops will be remained same .

Main road will be converted into pedestrians. Furthermore , size of park will be increased and there will also be built new housing areas near park .

In addition, a dual carriageway will be built around the islip town centre. Moving further, a school which is situated the southern side of town centre will be remained unchanged. New housing areas is likely to constructed on the southern side of dual carriageway.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of Islip town centre now and in the future. An overall trend is identified in the second paragraph, noting the general modernisation and the replacement of certain areas. Key changes, such as the introduction of a dual carriageway, pedestrianised zone, and the conversion of northern shops into a bus station, car park, and shopping centre, are reported. However, some ideas are slightly under-developed or imprecise, such as the claim that 'housing areas are expected to demolish' rather than being replaced or redeveloped, and some specific spatial relationships are stated rather simply. To reach a higher level, the overview could be sharper and all details fully integrated without minor inaccuracies.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the response into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing specific spatial transformations. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition', although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or are awkwardly punctuated (e.g., 'while , southern side shops'). Referencing is generally functional, but the progression between sentences can occasionally feel disjointed rather than flowing smoothly. To improve cohesion further, the writer should ensure that cohesive markers are integrated naturally and that paragraph transitions highlight clear comparative relationships between the current and future layouts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe common map features such as 'shops', 'park', 'housing', and 'dual carriageway'. There are clear attempts to use less common vocabulary relating to urban planning and development, such as 'renovation', 'pedestrians', and 'converted'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies, inappropriate word choices, and word form errors, such as 'cark park' (spelling), 'are expected to demolish' (passive voice error), and 'remained same' instead of 'remain the same'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to demonstrate greater precision in word choice and collocation, alongside error-free spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures like passive voice ('will be converted', 'will be built') and dependent clauses. However, there is a lack of consistent control over grammar, leading to frequent errors in articles, prepositions, and verb forms. Examples include 'as it is in present', 'at the town centre', 'shops will be remained same', and 'New housing areas is likely to constructed'. Punctuation is also erratic in places, with stray spaces before commas. These errors require some effort to decode, placing the grammar firmly in this range. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, accurate use of auxiliary verbs in passive constructions, and careful proofreading to eliminate basic grammatical slips.

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

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