Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-03
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 compares the infrastructure of university sports centre now with the future development in building.
Overall, there is comparison about the two-building structure of university support centre. The future plans regarding to building is much more appreciated than previous one, due to new infrastructure developments.
Firstly, in present building, support centre consists of several sections including reception, gym, changing room, outdoor courts on both sides, seating, and 25m pool. However, for future, there are several new sectors included like dance studio, sport hall and shop, leisure pool and a big cafe, which enhanced the building of sport centre and attracts more visitors.
Moreover, due to the addition of new sectors in sport centre building, it would be more advanced for students at university. In addition, more space will be added for leisure pool, and two different changing rooms and dancing rooms will be more beneficial plan for building.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the sports centre redevelopment, identifying key additions such as the dance studio and leisure pool. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student focuses on describing the changes rather than making clear comparisons between the two layouts. For instance, the mention of 'outdoor courts on both sides' in the present layout is not compared to their status in the future plan. Furthermore, the inclusion of subjective commentary, such as 'future plans... is much more appreciated', is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which requires an objective summary of data. To improve, focus on reporting the spatial changes and relative positions rather than evaluating the quality of the plans.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by some awkward phrasing and repetitive use of 'building' and 'centre'. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Firstly', 'However', and 'Moreover', but they are used in a somewhat mechanical fashion. The referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, the phrase 'the two-building structure' is confusing as the diagram depicts a single facility. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns and cohesive markers clearly link back to the specific features of the sports centre would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There is a reliance on basic descriptors like 'new sectors' and 'big cafe'. Some word choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as 'future plans regarding to building is much more appreciated' and 'beneficial plan for building'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and there is a lack of topic-specific terminology related to architectural layouts or facility descriptions. To reach a higher band, incorporate more precise vocabulary such as 'expanded', 'relocated', 'integrated', or 'transformed' to describe the changes in the layout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the future plans... is much more appreciated' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'in present building' (missing article). There are also issues with preposition usage, such as 'plans regarding to'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing future developments would significantly improve the grammatical accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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