Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-15

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 5.0)

These two maps are designed to guide us to the hospital in the city the first map is in 2007 and the second is in 2010

let's start with the first map ( 2007 edition ) when you have your first look at the map the first thing you will see is the city hospital surrounded by the ring road and at the right of that road is the bus stop and at the bottom of it you will find the hospital Rd that will lead you to city road but before the city road in the bottom right of the ring road you will find the car park staff and public

now let's take a look at the newer version ( 2010 edition ) it doesn't differ much from the older version but it evolved through the years we will start again with the city hospital surrounded by the ring road and when you take a look in the right side of that road you will find the public car park and in the bottom of the ring road you will find a circle that will either lead you to the hospital Rd or to the bus station and in the end of those two you will meet another circle that will lead you to the city road and let's not forget the staff car park that stands before the first circle

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the changes to the road layout and the relocation of the car parks. However, the tone is overly informal and conversational, which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. The description lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for a higher band. While the key features are identified, the lack of a formal structure and the absence of a clear summary paragraph prevent the response from reaching a higher band. The comparison between the two years is present but could be more analytical.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. The use of informal, conversational phrases like 'let's start with' and 'let's take a look' is not suitable for an academic report. Cohesive devices are limited and repetitive, relying heavily on simple conjunctions. The progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, as the writer simply lists features rather than synthesising the information into a logical comparison. The lack of formal linking words makes the flow feel disjointed and informal.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'when you have your first look' and 'it doesn't differ much' are too informal for an IELTS Academic task. There is a lack of precise terminology to describe spatial relationships or changes (e.g., 'evolved through the years' is vague). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There is no attempt to use more sophisticated or academic vocabulary to describe the map features.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response consists mainly of long, run-on sentences connected by 'and', which indicates a lack of control over complex sentence structures. There is a complete absence of punctuation, such as full stops or commas, which makes the text difficult to read and impacts clarity. While the meaning is generally understandable, the grammatical errors are frequent, particularly regarding sentence boundaries and basic punctuation. The range of structures is limited, and the lack of formal sentence construction significantly lowers the score for this criterion.

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

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