Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 map shows the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now and plans for its development.

Overall, the map of Islip town now has several problems to fix like there is no proper road available which means traffic will be another issue alongside, there is no proper design of roads too shops are very close to road which will effect parking alot. However, planned development has no such problem from roads, traffic or parking everything is perfectly planned.

Firstly, Islip town now is not properly designed and shops are too close to main road and very less space left for housing which will effect the traffic.Furthermore, school and park which is close to housing is good plan but not perfectly located.

Secondly, planned development is properly designed like dual carriageway perfect solution of traffic, in addition, bus station, shopping centre, car park, are equally well located and there is pedestrians crossing available too. Moreover, housing and new housing are close to school and park with better location.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the two maps and make a broad comparison between the current layout and the proposed changes, including the dual carriageway, bus station, shopping centre and car park. This gives the response a relevant overview. However, some claims are not supported by the maps: for example, you say the current town has “no proper road available” and that the plan solves traffic and parking problems, although these are interpretations rather than features shown. Some important changes are also missed or unclear, such as the central street becoming pedestrian-only, the southern shops remaining, and the park being reduced. Develop the overview through accurate, neutral comparisons and describe the main changes more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the existing town and the planned development. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Furthermore” help signal the progression. However, the links sometimes feel mechanical, and the overview combines several ideas in a long sentence, making the comparison harder to follow. The phrase “alongside” does not clearly connect the traffic and parking points, while “Moreover” introduces another location claim without explaining its relationship to the previous point. Group information by area or type of change, and use clearer references such as “In the north” or “By contrast” to make the map description flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “dual carriageway,” “main road,” “housing,” and “pedestrians,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or informal for an academic map summary. For example, “perfect solution,” “perfectly planned,” and “good plan” express opinions rather than describing visible changes. “Pedestrians crossing” is also not the same as the map’s “pedestrians only” street. There are word-choice and spelling problems in “effect” where “affect” is intended, and “alot.” Aim for precise terms such as “is replaced by,” “is retained,” and “is relocated,” and avoid evaluating whether the design is good.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and connectors such as “however” and “in addition.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but grammatical control is uneven. The overview contains a run-on sequence: “there is no proper design of roads too shops are very close to road,” where the ideas need to be separated or joined with accurate punctuation and a conjunction. There are also errors in “which will effect the traffic” and “school and park which is close,” involving verb form and agreement. Articles and sentence boundaries are sometimes missing or awkward, as in “close to main road.” Use shorter, controlled sentences when describing locations, then check agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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