Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-11-01

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)

This diagram illustrates the comparison of a town square and surrounding area in 2014 and the plans for development of the area to be completed by 2020.

Overall, there are two diagrams first shows the town square and surrounding area 2014, and second diagram gives information about the development plans which are completed by 2020 with various changes.

In 2014 the first diagram shows that there is a fish market on the upper left corner, town hall on the upper right corner,in middle there is a fountain, and outer left side has administrative buildings, and on the right there are two buildings which are history museum and the library.

On the other hand, the next diagram shows the development plan of 2020; the place of fountain and town hall are same, but mostly buildings are changed, For instance the upper left corner of the diagram there is supermarket and below there are two plant beds and in center. There is a play ground, and covered seating area, and on the left side there is a local artists' gallery, and on the righ side there are multiple shops.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two years and note some important changes, including the supermarket replacing the fish market, the town hall and fountain remaining, and shops appearing on the eastern side. However, the account is only partial and includes significant location errors: in 2014, the history museum and library are on the western side, while the administrative buildings are on the eastern side—not the reverse as stated. In 2020, the playground is east of the fountain, not in the centre, and the covered seating is in two areas south of the fountain. The overview mainly says that “mostly buildings are changed” rather than summarising the main pattern of redevelopment. Cover the key changes more accurately and distinguish the square’s features from its surrounding buildings.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the two plans. This helps the reader follow the comparison, and phrases such as “On the other hand” signal a shift to 2020. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes unclear. The 2020 sentence beginning “For instance” strings together several locations with repeated “and,” while “in center” is left as an incomplete thought. Some spatial references are also difficult to follow, such as “outer left side” and “on the right,” especially because the locations are misidentified. Grouping details by area—for example, northern buildings, central features, and southern/eastern changes—and using clearer references would make the organisation more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “fountain,” “plant beds,” “covered seating area,” and “multiple shops,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several descriptions are vague or repetitive: “buildings are changed,” “on the left side,” and “on the right side” do not precisely report the plan. There are also word-choice and spelling problems, including “play ground” and “righ.” Use more exact location language and verbs for changes, such as “replaces,” “remains,” “is converted into,” and “to the east of.” This would improve precision and help distinguish the different developments without relying on general terms like “place” and “side.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the basic meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range is limited, and longer constructions are often faulty. For example, “Overall, there are two diagrams first shows…” lacks a clear grammatical connection between its clauses, while “the place of fountain and town hall are same” has problems with articles and agreement. The sentence beginning “For instance” also becomes a fragment after “and in center.” Punctuation and spacing are inconsistent, particularly around commas and sentence boundaries. Practise forming complete sentences with accurate articles and subject–verb agreement, and use shorter sentences when listing several locations. More controlled complex sentences would make the comparisons clearer.

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