Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-09

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 two maps illustrates changes that took place in Islip town centre now and after its development in future.

Looking from an overall perspective, the place underwent considerable redevelpment with several new buildings and facilities being constructed while other were removed and relocated.

In planned development, the countryside area will replaced with multiple sections such as bus station, shopping centre, and a car park. In northeast section new housing will contruct and a road is contruct around the area that will provide easy access to new housing in norteast side. Additionally, the main road was replaced by Pedestrians only. Furthermore, an other new housing will be include on south side. Moreover, the school building will be expand, but the would become little smaller.

Overall, the planned development inidcates that Islip town centre would become more popular and more developed. Meanwhile, car park and shopping centre shows that there would a sharp increase in the population of area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad change from the existing town centre to a more developed plan, and your overview notes that new facilities will be added while some features change. You also correctly mention the pedestrian-only street, the bus station, shopping centre, car park and new housing. However, several important details are misreported or omitted: the countryside is not replaced by the new facilities; these occupy the northern side of the centre. The school is retained rather than expanded, and the park becomes smaller rather than “the would become little smaller” as part of a building change. The claim that development will make the area more popular and cause a sharp population increase is speculative. A more precise overview and accurate comparisons of what remains, moves or changes would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a broad overview, details of the proposed plan, and a concluding statement. Linking expressions such as “Additionally,” “Furthermore,” and “Moreover” help signal additions, and the main points are generally understandable. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the description moves between northern and southern features without a systematic route through the map, and the final “Overall” repeats an overview rather than adding a useful comparison. Some connections are also unclear, particularly “the school building will be expand, but the would become little smaller,” where the reference is difficult to follow. Organise the details by area or by what is retained, removed and added, and use referencing that makes each feature unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “facilities,” “bus station,” “shopping centre,” and “car park,” so the reader can identify many planned features. There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “considerable redevelopment.” However, spelling and word-form errors are noticeable, including “redevelpment,” “contruct,” “norteast,” and “inidcates.” Some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “multiple sections” does not clearly describe land uses, and “popular” and “sharp increase in the population” are unsupported interpretations rather than map descriptions. Aim for accurate, neutral terms such as “areas,” “facilities,” “retained,” and “replaced,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sentence beginning “while other were removed and relocated” and several sentences linked with “Additionally” and “Moreover.” This gives the response some structural variety, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction are frequent enough to make parts difficult to interpret. For example, “The two maps illustrates” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the countryside area will replaced” is missing a passive auxiliary. “New housing will contruct” also needs a correct passive form, and “there would a sharp increase” is missing “be.” The final clause about the school and park is especially unclear. Practise accurate passive constructions for planned changes and proofread each sentence for a complete verb phrase and clear subject.

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