Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-12

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 5.0)

The diagram compares the developement and infrastructure of the town square and the surrounding area from 2014 to 2020.

Overall,the town had major developments over the six year period.New facilities are provided in 2020 compared to 2014.The number of shops increased.The administrative block was changed into bars in restaurants.

In 2014,the town was not equipped with many shops but as it developed the number of shops increased.The administrative block was transformed in segments of shops.Town hall and fountain remained the same over the years.Bar also expanded in 2020 as it overtook most of the building occupied by library in 2014.

The history museum was converted into local artists` gallery in 2020.Fishmarket was also transformed into a supermarket by 2020.Covered seating area and children`s playground was introduced.Branstand was changed into plants beds as the town developed from 2014 to 2020.Over the years the town had a substantial developement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student attempts to summarise the main features of the diagram comparing 2014 and 2020, noting several transformations such as the administrative block becoming bars and restaurants, and the history museum converting into an artist's gallery. However, the response fails to meet the minimum length requirement, containing 147 words instead of the required 150 words. This under-length impacts the full development of the task. Furthermore, some comparisons are slightly generalised or lack precise data integration. Due to the word count penalty and the somewhat basic coverage of features, this criterion is awarded a band score of 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text is organized into brief paragraphs, starting with an introductory overview followed by body paragraphs detailing the changes. Progression is attempted, but transitions between ideas feel a bit mechanical and repetitive, such as the frequent repetition of 'in 2020'. Paragraphing is also erratic, with single-sentence paragraphs appearing throughout the response, which disrupts the logical flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and cohesive devices are under-utilised or basic. This warrants a band score of 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for basic description, featuring words like 'transformed', 'converted', and 'expanded'. However, there are notable spelling errors, such as 'developement', and awkward collocations like 'transformed in segments of shops' instead of 'into'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success. The lexical range is minimally adequate to convey the basic message, but inaccuracies in word choice restrict the score to a 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'In 2014, the town was not equipped with many shops but as it developed the number of shops increased.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, including missing commas, awkward preposition usage (e.g., 'transformed in' instead of 'transformed into'), and missing articles. While communication is not severely impeded, the frequency of grammatical slips keeps the score at a band 5.0.

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.