Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-23
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)
Sports center map before renovation shows outdoor courts along the building . As far as , the main features inside sport auditorium is concerned , at entrance there is a reception spot in south. On the opposite of the reception is the gym area in the north. Pool is located in the center . At the left hand side against the pool in west is dressing room where the participants can get ready for sports and seating arrangement is right in front of the changing room in the east direction.
After renovation , new infrastructure can be noticed as outdoor courts has been merged in the main sport's building . Buildings expansion has ensured vastness in the gym area. Outdoor court on the east side has been replaced by a sports hall and right in front of the sports hall are three rooms , out of which two are being specified for dance studio and one at the corner , a bit larger than other two is labelled as a changing room .With changing room a small cafe was also built for the refreshment. Amendments has been made on west by making a leisure pool by replacing the outdoor court and right in front of it is the changing room along with that building is a sport's shop.
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 before and after the redevelopment. You have successfully identified the key changes, such as the expansion of the gym, the addition of the sports hall, and the conversion of outdoor courts. However, the overview is missing; a high-scoring response should include a clear summary statement highlighting the most significant changes (e.g., the transition from outdoor to indoor facilities). Additionally, some descriptions are slightly confusing, such as the location of the seating area, which makes it difficult for the reader to visualize the layout accurately. To improve, ensure you provide a clear overview and use more precise spatial language.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into two main paragraphs, which is appropriate for this task. However, the flow of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You rely on basic transitions like 'at the left hand side' and 'after renovation', but the internal cohesion within paragraphs is weak. The use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'with changing room a small cafe was also built'. Improving the use of cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') would help the reader follow the progression of the redevelopment more smoothly. Paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate the 'before' and 'after' states more distinctly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'infrastructure', 'redevelopment', and 'amendments'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'reception spot' instead of 'reception area', and 'ensured vastness' instead of 'increased the size'. There are also minor issues with word forms, such as 'sport's building' (should be 'sports building'). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Issues include missing articles ('at entrance', 'in west'), incorrect preposition usage ('on the opposite of'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('outdoor courts has been merged', 'amendments has been made'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to basic grammar rules, particularly article usage and pluralization, and ensure that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.
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.