Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-31

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)

Today we will discuss about the plan of development of small town called Islip that how it is structured now and how it will look in the future.

So now Islip town has a main road and on both sides are the shops one towards the countryside and other towards the housing.From main road, a road goes towards the school and in the east of school park.

So now the main idea is to cover the whole Islip town with a circular road, the shops will be in the center, the main road inside the Islip town will be changed to only pedestrains walk. Shops on the countryside will be replaced with bus station, shopping center, car park and a new housing area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad contrast between the current town and its planned redevelopment, including the main road, shops, pedestrian street and new facilities. However, the response only partially covers the maps: it omits important changes south of the street, such as the new housing, reduced park and retained housing, and does not explain that the school and some housing remain outside the new road loop. The statement that shops will be “in the center” is also imprecise, since the southern row remains while northern shops are replaced. There is no clear overview of the main changes, and the response is 27 words below the required minimum. Add a concise overview and report the key changes on both sides of the pedestrian street.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a basic time-based order, first describing Islip as it is and then introducing the plan, so the reader can follow its general direction. The opening, “Today we will discuss,” is more like a spoken presentation than a direct map summary, and the two short paragraphs do not provide a clear overview or a well-developed progression. Linking is limited, with repeated use of “So now,” and the relationship between locations is sometimes unclear—for example, “in the east of school park.” Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph comparing the main northern and southern changes. Use precise location links such as “north of” and “to the east of.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “main road,” “countryside,” “pedestrian” and “bus station,” which helps communicate the basic changes. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “cover the whole Islip town with a circular road” and “shops on the countryside.” “Pedestrains walk” is also misspelled and does not accurately name the planned street. More precise terms for the layout and redevelopment would make the description clearer and more appropriate to an academic report. Aim to use location and change vocabulary accurately, rather than relying on general phrases such as “the main idea” and “new housing area.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentence forms, but control is uneven, and errors sometimes make relationships difficult to understand. For example, “Today we will discuss about the plan … that how it is structured” has an awkward clause structure, while “a small town called Islip” is missing an article before “small town.” In “From main road, a road goes towards the school and in the east of school park,” article use and sentence construction obscure the intended locations. The final sentence also shifts between future forms without a clear structure. Practise accurate articles and build longer sentences around clear subjects and verbs; for example, state separately what the road will become and which facilities will replace the northern shops.

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