Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-13

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 map illustrates the changes that took place in the city hospital between the years 2007 and 2010.

Overall, the hospital underwent significant redevelopment, with the major addition of a bus station right by the city hospital and profound changes to the parking spaces.

On the eastern side of the City Medical Centre, the public car park was added right adjacent to the hospital. Earlier, in the year 2007, the car park area for staff and public got converted into a staff parking area

Meanwhile, the western area experienced a change: the bus stop, which was on the eastern side of the hospital, which was built on the western side of just below the city hospital. Additionally, two roundabouts were constructed, which connected the city hospital, hospital road, and bus station, while the other was on the city road. However, there were significant changes attributed to the years 2007 and 2010 at the city hospital.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change over time and give an overview of redevelopment, mentioning the new bus station and changes to parking. You also correctly note that the former shared car park became staff-only. However, several key details are inaccurate or unclear: the new public car park was on the east side of the Ring Road, not adjacent to the hospital, and the bus station was west of Hospital Road rather than “right by” the hospital. The account of the bus stops is especially confusing: the individual stops were removed and replaced by a bus station, but the sentence describing their locations does not make this clear. To develop the report further, describe the two roundabouts precisely and compare the road layout in both years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an identifiable introduction, overview and body information, and expressions such as “Overall,” “Meanwhile” and “Additionally” show an attempt to guide the reader. However, progression is not consistently clear. The paragraph beginning “On the eastern side” combines the public car park’s location with the conversion of the old car park, while the next sentence about bus stops is difficult to follow and repeats “which.” The final sentence, “However, there were significant changes,” adds little and does not provide a clear concluding comparison. Organise the details into a clearer sequence—for example, first explain the parking changes, then the bus facilities and road alterations—and use references that make each location unambiguous.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing change, including “redevelopment,” “converted,” “constructed” and “adjacent.” These choices show an effort to move beyond basic wording. Some expressions, however, are imprecise or awkward for map description: “profound changes to the parking spaces” is overstated, “right by” is informal and vague, and “the western area experienced a change” does not specify the change clearly. “City Medical Centre” also differs from the map’s label, City Hospital, which can confuse the reader. Choose precise location and change vocabulary, such as “to the east of the Ring Road,” “was redesignated as,” and “was replaced by.” This would make the description more accurate and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex overview clause (“with the major addition…”) and sentences using relative clauses. Some grammatical control is evident, but several constructions are faulty or incomplete. In “the bus stop, which was on the eastern side … which was built on the western side,” the repeated relative clause leaves the relationship between the old stops and new station unclear. The sentence beginning “Earlier, in the year 2007” is also left without clear punctuation or a complete connection to the following idea. In addition, “two roundabouts were constructed, which connected…” has an unclear reference for “which.” Use shorter, complete sentences when describing each change, and check clause links and punctuation so the reader can follow the comparison.

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

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