Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-17

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 illustreate changes the hub of a little town its name is Islip, condtion of present, and plans after its renovation.

overall, initialy it was a simple map with appropriate facilities like unurban areas, while scheme of making it fascinated location by making categories for every location.

To commence with, in the first map northren area is rueal, and in southren side is located a school near to homes of local individuals, additionaly in eastren side we find park closer to liveng area moreover, in westren side is not such a buseir area, there is only highwaw rosd. In the middle area of a map illustrate main road, and shops.

Plan of making it a beautiful location with a lot of changes, first of all, finsh the rural by making roads in ocal shape that also tuchs to school and housing secondly, two new areas for homes will declair in north and south side last but not the least, in the center a path will declair for pedestrians only by finishing main road, in the beside of it bus station, shopping centre, car park will appear and shops will move behind the path.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover both the current layout and the proposed changes, and identify several key features: the central main road and shops, the pedestrian-only route, and the planned bus station, shopping centre and car park. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. The northern area is described as “rueal,” but the map labels it as countryside; the planned dual-carriageway loop is not clearly explained, and the school remains outside it rather than being connected to it. The overview that the plan will make the town “fascinated” and add “categories” does not clearly summarise the main transformation. To strengthen the response, give a precise overview of the major changes and describe what happens to the park, housing and road network more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the present map and a paragraph about the plan. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. Within paragraphs, however, progression is sometimes difficult to follow. The long sequence beginning “first of all” and continuing through “secondly” and “last but not the least” combines several changes without clearly locating them or showing how they relate. Some linking phrases, such as “moreover” and “additionaly,” are used mechanically, and references such as “beside of it” are unclear. Organise the details by area—for example, north of the pedestrian street, then south—and use fewer, more precise transitions to make comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You attempt a range of vocabulary for describing maps, including “pedestrians only,” “shopping centre,” “main road” and “housing.” However, inaccurate spelling and word choice often make the description difficult to understand: “illustreate,” “condtion,” “rueal,” “liveng,” and “highwaw rosd” obscure otherwise relevant information. Several expressions are also unnatural or imprecise, such as “making it fascinated location,” “categories for every location,” and “finish the rural.” Use the map’s labels directly where appropriate, and choose standard terms such as “countryside,” “dual carriageway,” and “residential area.” More accurate spelling and natural collocations would make your vocabulary more effective and allow you to describe the changes with greater precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You make some attempts to combine ideas, using phrases such as “while,” “by making,” and “that also,” and the reader can generally recognise the intended comparison between the existing town and the plan. However, sentence structures are often incomplete or incorrectly formed. For example, “in southren side is located a school” lacks a clear subject and article, while “in the middle area of a map illustrate main road” has no correctly formed main clause. Tense and verb patterns also need attention: “two new areas for homes will declair” and “shops will move behind the path” do not consistently express the planned layout accurately. Practise complete subject–verb sentences, articles and prepositions, and use a clear present tense for the current map and future forms for the plan.

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