Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show the layout of a university’s sports centre now, and how it will look after redevelopment.

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The plans below illustrate the layout of a university's sports centre now, and how it will look after renovation. It explains the structure of university sports complex present and future plans.

Overall, the area of sports centre is compact size, two sided are the outdoor courts, whereas the main changes are these in future which are Leisure pool and other places.

looking at the details, now the university's sports facility are these the main entrance is south side and straight ahead and looking a reception. In the indoor of centre, one big pool whose length is 25m. One side a large number of seating and the left side is changing room. The north side of centre is a gym. In outside, west and east side a big outdoor courts.

In addition, university sports centre in future plans are proposals are big. All the area of centre are joints. The main entrance is south side and go straight ahead and looking a reception, whereas in the left lower corner of centre is a changing room with a sports shop and the left upper corner od all area is Leisure pool and one changing room with 25m long pool. The north side a gym and front of gym are large number of seating. In east side, make a sports hall, right lower corner is also a changing room with a cafe, while the east side two rooms are dance studios.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover both the present and proposed layouts and identify several key features, including the central 25m pool, the gym to its north, the outdoor courts on both sides, and the addition of a leisure pool, sports hall, dance studios, café and shop. The overview recognises that the centre expands and gains new facilities, so the main changes are addressed. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the future plan retains the central changing room, seating and reception, but your description of the future layout does not clearly distinguish these from the new rooms. The phrase “one changing room with 25m long pool” also confuses their positions. A more precise overview and clearer comparisons between what remains and what is added would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable progression: an introduction and overview are followed by descriptions of the current and future plans. Paragraphing helps separate the two layouts, and connectors such as “whereas” and “In addition” show attempts to link information. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in the future-plan description, where several locations are listed in a long sequence. Phrases such as “left lower corner” and “east side” are not consistently anchored to the plan, and repeated references to the entrance and reception add little. Grouping features by area and using clearer contrasts—for example, what remains central versus what is added on each side—would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing plans, including “outdoor courts,” “reception,” “changing room,” “sports hall” and “dance studios,” and the reader can generally identify the facilities being discussed. There is also some attempt to vary wording with “renovation,” “proposals” and “structure.” However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “two sided are the outdoor courts,” “All the area of centre are joints,” and “looking a reception.” Repetition of “side,” “corner” and “centre” also limits flexibility. Choose standard location phrases such as “to the west/east of” and “in the south-east corner,” and use accurate collocations such as “the centre will be expanded” to describe the redevelopment.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including a contrast with “whereas,” and the main meaning is usually recoverable. However, sentence structures are often incomplete or inaccurately formed. For example, “The north side of centre is a gym” lacks an article before “the centre,” while “the main entrance is south side and straight ahead and looking a reception” has unclear clause structure and verb forms. Agreement and number are also inconsistent in “the university’s sports facility are” and “All the area … are joints.” Use complete subject–verb structures, check singular/plural agreement and articles, and punctuate longer descriptions into shorter sentences. More accurate control of these patterns would make your comparisons easier to understand.

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.