Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-07

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 compare the current condition to the centre of a tiny town known as Isliup and how it can be developed in the future.

Overall, the predicted graph shows a bigger infrastructure with a bigger circular road path. It also includes a bus station and a shopping centre in the future, which are not part of the current map.

Comparing both maps, the locations of the school and housing remain the same on the south side. The park is smaller on the development map compared to now. The main road wa straight and ended at both the school and the park, whereas it is better for the future with a dual carriageway on the school side. There are also plans to add pedestrians

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two maps as showing Islip now and in the future, and your overview notes the larger road system and the planned bus station and shopping centre. You also correctly mention that the park becomes smaller and that the school and some housing remain in the southern area. However, several major changes are omitted or unclear: the central road becomes pedestrian-only, the northern shops are replaced by new facilities, and new housing is added. The statement that the main road “ended at both the school and the park” does not accurately describe the current layout. The response is also below the required 150 words, limiting the detail you can report. Develop the overview and compare the main areas more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic progression: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph comparing features. Phrases such as “Overall” and “Comparing both maps” help signal these stages. However, the final sentence stops at “There are also plans to add pedestrians,” leaving the comparison unfinished and disrupting the flow. The ideas within the comparison are also crowded together, and the relationship between the road changes and the surrounding facilities is not always clear. Use separate, complete paragraphs for the overview and for changes to the northern and southern areas. Complete each comparison, and use clear links such as “while” or “in contrast” to show how the maps differ.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “dual carriageway,” “bus station,” “shopping centre,” and “smaller,” so the reader can understand several planned changes. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or unnatural. “Predicted graph” is unsuitable for maps, while “bigger infrastructure” and “circular road path” do not describe the changes precisely. The town’s name is also misspelled as “Isliup.” Aim for accurate, map-specific terms such as “planned layout,” “road loop,” “pedestrian-only street,” and “new housing.” More precise vocabulary would help you report the locations and changes without relying on broad phrases such as “remain the same.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and a comparison using “whereas.” Most of the intended meaning is understandable, but errors and incomplete structures reduce clarity. In “The maps compare the current condition to the centre,” the comparison is not formed clearly; a more controlled structure would be “The maps compare the town centre as it is now with its planned future layout.” The sentence ending “There are also plans to add pedestrians” is incomplete in meaning and needs a clear object, such as “a pedestrian-only street.” There is also a typo in “wa” for “was.” Check sentence completeness, verb forms, and punctuation, and use a wider range of accurate comparison structures.

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

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