Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-01
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 illustration demonstrates how road accessed development took place to a city hospital from 2007 to 2010.
Overall, the diagram compares the how various roads and roundabout had been constructed from 2007 to 2010.
Initially, in 2007 on north side city hospital surrounded by a ring road which was directly connected southwards to hospital road on this road both side bus stop was there and on the right side of bus stop car parking was available for staff and public. Furthermore, this hospital road divided into three direction and on the east city road was there.
In comparison, in 2010 on north side city hospital surrounded by a ring road which was directly connected to roundabout in southwards of hospital road and this road joined by two roundabouts whereas, this roundabouts connected to a particular bus station which was on west of both roundabouts. Moreover, on the east of the roundabouts parking was there for staff. parking for public had been separately created on the east of
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the maps, identifying the key changes such as the addition of roundabouts and the reorganization of parking and bus facilities. However, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('parking for public had been separately created on the east of'). Because the summary is unfinished, it fails to fully report all relevant comparisons and lacks a coherent conclusion. To improve, ensure you complete your sentences and provide a clear, final overview of the changes. The description of the 2007 layout is generally accurate, but the lack of closure significantly impacts the overall task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Furthermore', and 'In comparison' to signal transitions between ideas. However, the logical flow is disrupted by the incomplete final sentence, which leaves the reader without a sense of closure. Paragraphing is attempted, but the transition between the 2007 description and the 2010 description could be smoother. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the spatial relationships of the roundabouts and bus stations, which makes the information difficult to follow. Improving the clarity of spatial descriptions and ensuring all sentences are finished will greatly enhance coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite repetitive and basic. Phrases like 'on north side' and 'on the east' are used frequently, which limits the sophistication of the writing. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'road accessed development', which is not standard English. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise spatial vocabulary (e.g., 'situated to the north of', 'adjacent to', 'intersected by') and avoid repeating the same prepositional phrases. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but lacks the flexibility required for higher scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('on north side', 'on east city road'), incorrect verb forms ('how various roads and roundabout had been constructed'), and awkward phrasing ('on this road both side bus stop was there'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly regarding the use of commas to separate clauses. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.