Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-18
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 map is illustrates that the current and future renovation plans of the university's sports centre.
Overall, the layout is enlarged by adding the a several rooms and halls Sports hall, Dance studio, Sports shop, Cafe and changing rooms in the East and south side. A new leisure pool was introduced in the west side of the sports centre.
Firstly, entire map is increased by extra rooms multiple rooms of Dance studios and Changing rooms which are mainly focusing in the East and South side as compared to the present layout. And Sports shop and Cafe are added at exactly opposite to the reception in the south.
Secondly, Outdoor courts are fully converted into a Leisure pool and sports hall and Gym in the North was massively increased by spacing. The 25m Pool and seating shows the remain same place in the present and future plan of the university sports centre.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 plans, including the expansion of the sports hall and the addition of new facilities like the leisure pool and cafe. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in reporting the spatial changes. For instance, stating that the layout is 'enlarged by adding the a several rooms' is vague. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the current and future plans could be more analytical. The response meets the minimum length requirement, but the development of ideas is limited, and some details are slightly inaccurate or confusingly phrased, such as the description of the outdoor courts being converted.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Firstly' and 'Secondly' is used, but the internal flow within paragraphs is disjointed. Phrases like 'which are mainly focusing in the East and South side' lack clear referential links to the previous sentences. The paragraphing is present, but the logical progression of ideas is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the comparison of the two maps effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'The map is illustrates' (grammatical error combined with lexical misuse) and 'massively increased by spacing'. The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptors, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise terminology related to architectural changes or spatial layout. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical control is basic and occasionally impedes clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. There are persistent issues with article usage ('the a several rooms'), subject-verb agreement ('The map is illustrates'), and prepositional errors ('opposite to the reception'). The sentence structure is often clunky, which affects the readability of the report. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors is high enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to basic sentence construction and proofreading for grammatical slips is necessary.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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