Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-11-03

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 compare the layout of a town square with its surrounding in 2014 with the development plan expected to be finished by 2020.

Overall, the new map of the town square will provide more facilities to the residents with increasing number of bars and restaurants and with the introduction of some other new arrangements.

Looking at the details, the fish market and the history museum, from 2014, will be converted to supermarket and local artists' gallery in 2020, while the town hall will remain at the same place. The only Library and the other fish market at the bottom will be replaced to increase the numbers of bars and restaurants. Another major construction will take place by demolishing the administrative buildings. Several shops will be constructed in the place of administrative buildings.

In the case of new introduction in the plan, plant beds, children's playground

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the fish market and history museum, the town hall’s unchanged position, and shops replacing the administrative buildings. However, the response only partially covers the plans: the final paragraph stops after “plant beds, children's playground,” and omits other key features such as the central fountain remaining, the two covered seating areas, and the conversion of the southern buildings into bars and restaurants. There is also a factual error in saying there was “the other fish market at the bottom”; the 2014 map shows a fish restaurant and a bar there. The overview is relevant but general, and the response is below the required 150 words. Develop the overview and report the main changes more completely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing changes. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “Overall” and “Looking at the details” signal the stages of the response. However, progression is weakened because the final paragraph is an unfinished fragment, leaving the new facilities unreported and the account abruptly ending. Some links between ideas are also unclear: “The only Library and the other fish market at the bottom” combines separate locations and misidentifies the southern businesses, making the comparison difficult to follow. Group changes by location or by what remains versus what is replaced, and complete the final paragraph to create a more coherent account.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of map-related vocabulary, including “converted,” “remain,” “demolishing,” and “constructed,” which helps communicate the main redevelopment. There are also attempts to vary phrasing, such as “new arrangements” and “major construction.” However, some choices are imprecise or awkward: “the other fish market at the bottom” misnames the fish restaurant and bar, while “increasing number of bars and restaurants” needs a more natural expression. “New map” is also less suitable than “proposed layout” for a development plan. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the broad changes, but greater precision in naming facilities and describing replacements would strengthen the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple statements and some longer structures, for example, “The fish market and the history museum … will be converted … while the town hall will remain at the same place.” This shows an attempt to compare changes within a sentence. However, control is uneven. The opening phrase “with its surrounding” is grammatically incomplete, and “with increasing number” is missing an article. “The only Library and the other fish market … will be replaced to increase the numbers” has awkward sentence construction and unclear reference. The final line, “In the case of new introduction in the plan, plant beds, children's playground,” is not a complete sentence. Use complete clauses, check articles and plurals, and ensure each sentence clearly identifies what changes.

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

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