Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-20
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 illustrates that the University sports centre in future will be more modern then the previous one. The present map shows that there are three sport centres. Two are outside courts where football, cricket, hockey, and other sports are played. One is on the Western side and other is on the Eastern side. When we enter into the indoor sport center there is reception area. There is a small pool which is 25 meter. On the left side there is also a changing room where students change their cloths. On the right side there is a seating arrangements. University also provides gym facility to their students. The University is also planning to change sport centre. On the western side they will make a leisure pool. Sports shop will also open from where students get their sports equipment. They will also make two dance studio on the Eastern side. On Southern side they will make a big changing room only for dance students. A cafe will be there near the changing room.
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 plans, identifying key changes such as the new leisure pool, sports shop, and dance studios. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is essential for a high band score. The description of the current layout is somewhat repetitive and lacks precise comparative language. While the main features are identified, the response would benefit from a more analytical approach that highlights the transformation of the space rather than just listing features in a sequential manner. The inclusion of specific details like the 25-meter pool is good, but the overall structure needs to better integrate the 'before' and 'after' comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into two main paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited, relying heavily on simple directional markers like 'On the left side' or 'On the right side'. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the current state with the future plans, which makes the progression feel a bit disjointed. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the description of the current centre and the proposed changes could be more clearly signposted to improve the logical flow of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'sport centres' instead of 'sports courts' or 'sporting facilities'. The phrase 'change sport centre' is vague and lacks the precision required for an academic report. While the student successfully uses terms like 'reception area' and 'leisure pool', there is little attempt to use less common or more precise vocabulary to describe the architectural changes or the layout. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of vocabulary is limited to simple, functional descriptions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, 'more modern then the previous one' contains a comparative error ('than' instead of 'then'). There are also issues with articles and pluralization, such as 'make two dance studio' (should be 'studios') and 'University also provides gym facility' (should be 'a gym facility'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity and professionalism of the writing. A greater variety of sentence structures would help to improve the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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