Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-21

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)

These maps shows the Islip centre town after the development and how it is now.

Overall, schools, housing and shops remained there after the development. While, the main road will convert into dual carriagway. There are several significant changes on the north side of road. For instance bus station, shopping centre, car park and new housing.

Enter from west side of the town, there is a road whichis heading to the south side of town, and reach at school. While, there are several shops on the each side of the main road. Passing beyond this, there is a single road which is heading to the park.

After the development, main road will convert into dual carraigeway which is covering the whole twon centre. Furthermore, left side of shops wil convert into bus station, shopping centre and car park. Similarly, the main road will convert into padestrians only. In addition, new housing will be arranged on the each side of the town centre.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad contrast between the existing town centre and its planned redevelopment, and your overview notes that the main road becomes a dual carriageway and that new facilities are added to the north. You also mention the bus station, shopping centre, car park and new housing, which are relevant features. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dual carriageway forms a loop around the centre rather than simply covering it, and the pedestrian-only street is the central east–west road, not the dual carriageway. The school remains outside the loop, while the park is reduced in size. To make the summary more complete, describe the southern area and distinguish what remains from what changes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic overall structure, moving from an overview to details about the current layout and then the planned changes. This gives the reader some sense of comparison. However, progression is not consistently clear: the paragraph beginning “Enter from west side” describes the present map, but its relationship to the previous overview is not signposted, and the final paragraph repeats the road and northern facilities rather than developing the comparison. Linking words such as “While,” “Furthermore,” and “Similarly” are sometimes used mechanically or do not express the relationship accurately. Organise the response into a clear overview followed by one paragraph on the current map and one on the plan, using references such as “In contrast” only where a genuine contrast follows.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “bus station,” “shopping centre,” “car park,” “housing,” and “dual carriageway,” so the main features are generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings reduce precision. “Covering the whole town centre” does not accurately describe a road that loops around it, while “arranged on the each side” is an awkward way to describe the new housing locations. There are also spelling errors in “carriagway,” “carraigeway,” “twon,” and “padestrians.” Aim for precise location language and check the spelling of key map terms; this will make the description clearer and more appropriate to an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including “While, the main road will convert into dual carriagway” and “After the development, main road will convert…”. However, errors in agreement, articles, tense and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward. For example, “These maps shows” should use a plural verb, and “the main road” needs an article in the later sentence. “While” is also used as a sentence opener without a complete contrasting clause, and “there is a road … and reach at school” shifts grammatical form within the sentence. Practise forming complete comparison sentences and check subject–verb agreement, articles and consistent verb patterns. More accurate control of these basics would make your ideas easier to follow.

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