Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-12
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The diagram below shows a town square and surrounding area in 2014 and the plans for development of the area to be completed by 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The chart shows the map of town square and its surrounding area that was existed in 2014 and its new plan of development that will be completed in 2020. In 2014, the square town contains fish market in the north-west corner and history museum was in the south side of it. however, new plan has local art gallery at the place of history museum. The town hall will not be changed that is on the north-east corner of the map. The bandstand will be replaced by plant beds on the upper area of the fountain. However, fountain is there on the same place. Administrative buildings will be demolished and plenty of shops will be constructed there. The playground for children will be made on the east of the fountain. Moreover, the covered seating plan is also added in this map that will be south of the fountain in the front of bars and restaurants. These will be more than ancient a restaurant and a bar and these are mixed instead of separate area.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the map, including the changes to the fish market, museum, and administrative buildings. However, the overview is missing; a summary of the most significant changes (such as the shift from administrative to commercial use) is essential for a higher band. Some details are slightly inaccurate, such as the description of the seating area. The response identifies the key developments but lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the overall transformation, which is a requirement for Task 1. To improve, ensure you include a clear overview paragraph that highlights the main trends or changes between the two time periods.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow. IELTS Task 1 responses should be structured with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs to group related information logically. While some cohesive devices like 'however' and 'moreover' are used, they are sometimes placed awkwardly, such as starting a sentence with 'however' when the contrast is not fully established. The progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, jumping between different areas of the map without a clear spatial or thematic flow. Using clear paragraph breaks and more varied linking words would significantly improve the readability and logical flow of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate to convey the information, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. Phrases like 'square town' and 'upper area of the fountain' are slightly unnatural. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'ancient a restaurant', which is grammatically incorrect and confusing. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to maps and urban planning, such as 'demolished', 'replaced by', 'converted into', or 'situated in the northern quadrant'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you communicate the changes more effectively and professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'that was existed in 2014' should be 'that existed in 2014', and 'fountain is there on the same place' is awkward. There are also issues with article usage ('the' is often missing or misused) and tense consistency. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often marred by errors in word order or verb forms. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions for location will help improve your accuracy. Try to proofread your work to catch these basic errors, as they currently limit your score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.