Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The two maps below show road access to a city hospital in 2007 and 2010.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons wherever relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The two maps illustrate the road access to a city hospital in 2007 and 2010.

Overall, there are major changes in the city hospital. Two roundabouts were built to go a city hospital. However, a bus stop was placed in the southern part of the hospital.

In 2007, the city hospital was covered by the ring road. Moreover, in the southeast part, a car park and public area were added along the hospital road. Furthermore, the bus stop was on the east side of the hospital, and the city road was on the south side of the map.

In 2010, the development began with the construction of two roundabouts on the hospital road. In addition, the public car park was built on the eastern part of the city hospital. Conversely, the bus station was shifted and connected to the roundabouts on the western part of the map. The city road remained unchanged during the time period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the construction of roundabouts and the relocation of the bus station. However, the description of the 2007 map is inaccurate; you state that a car park and public area were added in 2007, whereas the prompt implies these were existing features or changes occurring between the two dates. Furthermore, the description of the bus stop location is confusing, as you mention it being on the east side in 2007 and then shifted to the western part in 2010, which contradicts the visual evidence. The overview is somewhat vague, failing to clearly highlight the most significant changes, such as the improved road access.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from 2007 to 2010. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Conversely,' and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the locations of the new structures. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences would help create a more cohesive narrative rather than a list of observations.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes to the hospital infrastructure. You use terms like 'construction,' 'shifted,' and 'remained unchanged' appropriately. However, there is a lack of variety and precision. Phrases like 'go a city hospital' are grammatically awkward and unnatural. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise collocations related to map descriptions, such as 'situated to the north of' or 'underwent significant development.' The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. For example, 'Two roundabouts were built to go a city hospital' is incorrect; it should be 'to provide access to the city hospital.' Additionally, 'the city hospital was covered by the ring road' is an inaccurate description of the map's layout. Punctuation is generally correct, but the sentence structure is sometimes repetitive. Focusing on more varied sentence patterns and ensuring subject-verb agreement will improve your score.

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

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