Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-20
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 current and planned development of the Islip town center. The unplanned map shown in the first image consist of the blue-print of planned development of Islip town centre. Currently, the main road divides the path along with shops aside. The main road junction the road, and followed by the path toward school and the park. The park is located at the south-east corner of the road opposite to the school building.
On the other hand, planned development of Islip town center is totaally changes. There is a round-about shown in the map which is followed by the Dual carriageway towards the school and housing communities. Inside the round-about path, there are several shops, shopping centre, car parking and bus station as well. This area is a vehicle-free area and has pedestrain only for the visitors. The school is located in the same south-corner, but opposite to the housing communties. Overall, the second image shows the planned development of Islip town centre.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the two maps as showing Islip now and after development, and you mention several relevant features, including the main road, shops, pedestrian-only area, bus station, shopping centre and car park. However, the comparison is only partial and some key changes are missing or misrepresented. The planned road is a dual-carriageway loop, not a roundabout, and the school remains outside this loop rather than being part of the development area. You also omit important changes such as the new housing, the reduced park and the replacement of the northern shops. The overview mainly repeats that the second map shows planned development; state the main transformation clearly and support it with accurate location details.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic overall structure: it describes the present map first and then introduces the plan with “On the other hand.” This helps the reader recognise the comparison. However, progression within the paragraphs is not always clear, and several relationships between features are difficult to follow, as in “The main road junction the road, and followed by the path toward school and the park.” The repeated references to “the map” and “the second image” do little to connect specific changes. Organise the response into a clear overview followed by grouped details—for example, changes north of the pedestrian street and changes to the south—and use precise references such as “north of” and “within the loop.”
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “Dual carriageway,” “pedestrian only,” “shopping centre” and “housing communities,” so the reader can identify several planned features. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural. “Round-about” mislabels the planned dual-carriageway loop, while “car parking” is less precise than “car park” for the labelled area. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “totaaally,” “pedestrain” and “communties,” which reduce the accuracy of the description. Aim for precise location and change vocabulary, and check spelling carefully. Using terms such as “replaced by,” “retained,” and “reduced in size” would help you describe the map changes more clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response includes simple statements and some attempts to link clauses, but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “The unplanned map shown in the first image consist” has subject–verb disagreement and an unclear construction, while “The main road junction the road” is incomplete and difficult to interpret. The sentence “There is a round-about shown in the map which is followed by the Dual carriageway” also uses an awkward passive structure that obscures the relationship between the features. Articles and sentence boundaries need attention as well. Practise writing clear, complete sentences with accurate subject–verb agreement, and use straightforward comparative structures such as “The main road is replaced by a pedestrian street.”
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