Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-14

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 given diagram shows us the layout of a university's sports centre before the development and after the development.

The centre now includes outdoor activities during both sides in the East as well as West of the main centre and in the main centre there was reception as we enter on the right side was all the seating, on the left side were the changing rooms and at the bottom or end of the centre was Gym.

Whereas,the new plan includes more new activities that are going to be included in the centre so as we enter the first thing that will catch our eyes will be reception in the front, on the sides of the entrance door we can find a cafe and changing rooms behind it and on the left side a shorts shop and more changing rooms behind it, infront of the left sides changing room the pool was build, and on the right sides end was a dance studio, on the north side gym was present.

Overall the sports centre did not have much activities as well as facilities as compared to the plan that was build now for the universities sports centre.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from outdoor courts to a larger centre with more facilities, and you attempt to compare the present and proposed layouts. However, several key features are omitted or misreported, so the summary only partially covers the plans. For example, the current gym is north of the pool, not at the bottom, and the future plan retains the 25m pool while adding a separate leisure pool; your description says only that “the pool was build.” The sports hall and seating are also not clearly reported. The overview that the new centre has more facilities is relevant, but it would be stronger if it highlighted the expansion and the main additions accurately. Describe the locations and changes systematically, using the compass directions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a description of the current centre, a paragraph on the proposed plan, and a concluding overview. This gives the reader a basic progression from present to future. However, the long sentences in the body combine several locations and details, making the layout difficult to follow. Phrases such as “as we enter” and “on the sides of the entrance door” do not consistently clarify which direction or area is being described, and “Whereas” does not connect smoothly to the preceding paragraph. Use shorter sentences and organise each plan by area—for example, central features, then west and east additions. Clearer referencing and more precise transitions would make the comparison easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing plans, including “layout,” “development,” “reception,” “changing rooms,” and “dance studio.” This shows an adequate basic range for the task. However, several choices are imprecise or repetitive: “activities” is used where “facilities” or specific room names would be clearer, and “shorts shop” does not accurately name the sports shop. Phrases such as “catch our eyes” and “the first thing” are conversational rather than suited to an objective report. There are also spelling and word-form slips, including “infront” and “build” where the intended form is “built.” Aim for precise facility names and neutral location language, such as “to the west of” or “in the south-east corner.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “Whereas,” but control is inconsistent. Some sentences contain several clauses joined without clear punctuation, as in the description beginning “The centre now includes outdoor activities,” which makes the relationships between locations hard to understand. There are errors in tense and verb form, such as “the pool was build,” and in sentence construction, including “in the main centre there was reception as we enter.” Capitalisation and punctuation are also uneven, particularly after “Whereas,” and in the run-on descriptions. Use a consistent present tense for the existing plan and future forms for proposed changes, and check each sentence for a clear subject and verb. Shorter, accurately punctuated sentences would improve control.

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