Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-11

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 maps illustrate the transformations that took place in a town square and its neighboring area between 2024 and the completed developments in 2020. Overall, the area underwent a significants modernization process over the six year period. the town square shifted from being a primarily administrative and local market center to a more commercialized, leisure-oriented and pedostrian friendly public space. In 2014, the area was characterized by several specialized facilities. At the center of the square stood a bandstand adjacent to a fountain. The northern perimeter housed a fish market in the northwest and a town hall in the northest, while administrative buildings lined the eastern edge. To the west, a history museum and a laibrary were situated nest to each other. The southern boundary was occupied by a fish restaurant an adjacent bar. By 2020, major redevelopments had subataintailly altered the landscape. while the town hall in the northeast and the laibrary on the western side remained completely unchanged, the neighboring history museum was replaced by a local artist's gallery. To the northwest, the fish market was converted buildings on the east were demonlished to make way for a row of new shops. In the central square, the bandstand was removed to clear space for a children's playground and new plant beds with covered seating though the fountain remained intact.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from market and administrative uses towards commercial and leisure facilities, and correctly note that the town hall and central fountain remain. However, the account is only partial and includes important inaccuracies. The bandstand was north-east of the fountain, not “at the center,” and the library and museum were separated rather than next to each other. You also say the library remained unchanged, although the 2020 plan labels a local artists’ gallery in the former museum building and does not show the library. The fish market’s replacement by a supermarket is left incomplete, and the new plant beds, two covered seating areas, and southern bars and restaurants are not clearly reported. A more accurate overview and fuller selection of key changes would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable chronological structure: it describes the 2014 layout before moving to the 2020 plan, and the opening overview gives the reader a general direction of change. However, progression is weakened by the abrupt transition into the final paragraph and by several ideas being crowded into long sentences. For example, the sentence beginning “while the town hall…” combines retained features, the gallery, shops, and the fish market without clear separation. The final sentence also groups the playground, plant beds, and covered seating in a way that makes their locations and relationships unclear. Use distinct paragraphs for the overview, original layout, and planned changes, and connect each change to its location more explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of descriptive vocabulary, including “perimeter,” “redevelopments,” “commercialized,” and “leisure-oriented,” which helps convey the map’s broad transformation. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “significants,” “pedostrian,” “northest,” “laibrary,” and “subataintailly.” Some expressions are also inaccurate or awkward: “converted buildings” does not explain what replaced the fish market, and “demonlished” is not the appropriate form. Prefer precise map language such as “was replaced by,” “was converted into,” and “was located to the north-east of.” Careful proofreading and accurate naming of the facilities would make the vocabulary more reliable and easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is some variety in sentence forms, including the contrastive clause “while the town hall…,” and most of the intended meaning can be understood. However, errors in sentence construction and punctuation are frequent enough to make parts difficult to read. The opening says “between 2024 and…2020,” which gives an incorrect time sequence; use the past year 2014. Several sentences begin with lowercase letters after full stops, such as “the town square…” and “while the town hall…”. The phrase “the fish market was converted buildings on the east were…” lacks the grammatical links needed to express two separate changes. The final sentence also needs clearer punctuation and structure. Build shorter, complete sentences and check tense, capitalization, and clause boundaries.

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