Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-21
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 above plans exhibits the current layout of the university sports centre and how it is supposed to look after redevelopment.
Overall, the sports centre is expected to become more larger than before and offer more facilities. The existing gym, seating , changing room and a reception will remain, while the outdoor courts will be replaced by other activities.
In the present layout, the sports centre is much smaller with less facilities. There’s a gym, changing room and a reception on the sides of the pool. Moreover, It is surrounded by two outdoor courts.
After redevelopment, the sports centre is shown much larger with a huge number of facilities such as a sports hall, a cafe, leisure pool. The leisure pool is built on the upper left corner covered by two changing rooms on its side.
Moreover, There’s sports shop constructed on the left side of the entrance on the other side there’s a cafe put up. Likewise, two dance studios are also set up.
Therefore, this shows how the sports centre has become more modern and developed. The layout has been improved with more features.
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, identifying the key changes such as the addition of the sports hall, cafe, and dance studios. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the description of the pool area is slightly inaccurate, as the pool remains in the redevelopment but is described as a 'leisure pool' without noting its relative size or position clearly. The comparison between the 'now' and 'after' layouts is present, but it lacks precision in describing the spatial changes. To reach a higher band, you should focus on more specific details, such as the relocation of the entrance or the specific dimensions of the new facilities compared to the old ones.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the current layout to the future one. There is a logical flow, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In the present layout', and 'After redevelopment' is generally effective. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as the phrase 'on the other side there’s a cafe put up', which lacks a clear anchor point. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the current state, and the future state.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the facilities and the changes effectively. You use some relevant terms like 'redevelopment', 'layout', and 'constructed'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'become more larger' (a double comparative error) and 'huge number of facilities', which is slightly informal. There is also a lack of variety in the verbs used to describe the changes; repeating 'set up' or 'put up' limits the sophistication of your writing. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs would improve this score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'The above plans exhibits' (subject-verb agreement error), 'less facilities' (should be 'fewer'), and 'the sports centre is shown much larger' (awkward phrasing). Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as unnecessary spaces before commas. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of comparatives will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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