Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-11

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 layout plan of a university's sports center today seems like a small area compare to the future plan. There is less covered area and half of the area is dedicated for outdoor courts. While in future development plan of University's sports center the area will be covered entirely. Pool that's measurement is 25m in both layouts will be same. In future plan gym is going to wide compare to old one. In future plans there will be an addition of a leisure pool, a sports hall, a cafe, three changing rooms, a sports shop and two dance studios. I think three changing rooms shall be a good thing that will help to saving time for people. Cafe will be also a good thing for refreshment at where people can enjoy drinks. The three things i noticed shall remain same one is 25m pool at center of sports center, second is seating and last one is reception. There are no changings in these three places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies the main features of the sports centre redevelopment, such as the expansion of the building and the addition of new facilities. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student includes personal opinions, such as 'I think three changing rooms shall be a good thing', which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. The task requires an objective summary of the visual data, not a subjective commentary on the utility of the facilities. While the main changes are noted, the comparison between the current and future layouts lacks the precision and analytical depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into a single paragraph, which hinders the logical flow of information. There is a lack of clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, overview, and specific details. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'While in future development' and 'In future plans', but they are often used mechanically or with grammatical errors. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed, as the student jumps between describing new additions and mentioning features that remain unchanged without clear transitions. Better use of linking words and paragraph breaks would significantly improve the clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. The student relies on basic phrasing, such as 'small area', 'good thing', and 'no changings'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'gym is going to wide' (should be 'enlarged' or 'expanded') and 'at where people can enjoy' (which is awkward). To improve, the student should focus on using more descriptive, academic vocabulary related to spatial changes and facility development, and avoid informal, conversational language.

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 that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'compare to the future plan' (should be 'compared to'), 'Pool that's measurement is 25m' (should be 'The pool, which measures 25m'), and 'help to saving time' (should be 'help to save time'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction and verb forms limits the score.

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.