Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-12

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 diagram displays a town square and its outside buildings in 2014, the other diagram also illustrates the plan with changes for the development in a town square by 2020. Overall, it is clear that a town square has significantly changed from simple town into a modern one that have many facilities.

In 2014, this town had the fountain in its centre while the bandstand was located in the east-north corner. At the north side, it had a town hall and a fish market while a bar and a fish restuarant was located at the south side. Outside of a town square,the library and a history meuseum was located at the west side while the administrative building was pesent at the east side of a town square.

In 2020, it experienced significant changes. The fish market replaced by the supermarket. Town hall and the fountain remained the same. The fountain sorrounded by covered seating, plants beds, and the children's playground area. The administrative building shifted into several shops while history meuseum changed into local artist's gallery.

It is noted that a town square of 2020 has bar and restuarent at the south side. It has renovated with facilities for child.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main transformation from a relatively simple square to one with more commercial and recreational facilities, and you correctly note that the fountain and town hall remain, the fish market becomes a supermarket, and the museum becomes an artists’ gallery. These are relevant features and provide a clear overall direction. However, some details are incomplete or imprecise: the two plant beds are described as surrounding the fountain, although they are in the northern part of the square, and the covered seating is not clearly located on either side of the fountain. The library’s continued presence is also omitted, and the changes to the southern and south-western buildings are only briefly mentioned. A more precise overview and fuller comparison of the main locations would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by separate descriptions of 2014 and 2020. This chronological organisation makes the comparison easy to follow, and phrases such as “Overall” and “In 2020” help signal the stages. However, some connections between details are abrupt, particularly the final paragraph, which repeats the southern bars and restaurants without explaining how the perimeter buildings changed. The sentence listing what surrounds the fountain also groups features together in a way that obscures their actual positions. Use clearer location-based sequencing—for example, describe the northern, central, and southern areas in turn—and link changes directly to their former locations. This would make the progression more precise and less list-like.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing maps, including “located,” “remained,” “replaced,” and “changed into,” so the reader can understand the main developments. There is also some useful variety in naming the facilities. However, several spelling errors—“restuarant,” “meuseum,” “pesent,” and “sorrounded”—reduce accuracy, while phrases such as “simple town” and “renovated with facilities for child” are imprecise or unnatural. Repetition of “town square” and “significant changes” also limits flexibility. Aim for accurate map-specific terms and natural collocations, such as “the square was redeveloped” or “facilities for children.” Proofreading spelling and choosing more precise verbs would strengthen the description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “while” and a summary introduced by “Overall.” The main meaning is generally understandable, but errors occur in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “The fish market replaced by the supermarket” needs a passive verb (“was replaced”), and “a town square has significantly changed … that have many facilities” has problems with tense and agreement. In “a bar and a fish restaurant was located,” the plural subject requires “were.” Articles and prepositions are also inconsistent, as in “at the south side.” Work on forming accurate passive sentences and checking subject–verb agreement, while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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