Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29
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 plan shows us a university sports center at present and the plans for its future development.
The sports center right now consists of two outdoor area present on east and west of main building respectively. The indoor area is in the center with its entrance facing the south. after entering the area, there is a reception right in center. On the left of reception, is a changing room for the athletes, while on the right side is a seating area. After the seating area, towards the north is a gym. There is a big 25m pool in the center of the room which is accessible from the changing room.
The next part of the plan shows that the outdoor areas on both sides to be included in the sports center as well. After entering the center, there will be a reception at front. to the left, there will be a small sports shop, next to it will be the changing room which will then lead to a leisure pool. the area behind reception will remain same except for the gym expanding towards the right. There will be a sport halls next to seating and a cafe opposite to it, next to which will be an other changing room. two dance studios will be on the east as well.
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, including the current layout and the proposed changes. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary paragraph, which is essential for Task 1. While the student describes the locations of various facilities, the comparison between the two plans is somewhat mechanical. To improve, the student should provide a clear introductory summary that highlights the most significant changes, such as the expansion of the gym and the addition of new facilities like the leisure pool and dance studios, rather than just listing features sequentially.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into two paragraphs, which is acceptable, but the internal flow is somewhat repetitive. The use of cohesive devices is limited; the student relies heavily on simple directional markers like 'on the left' and 'to the right'. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the changes between the two plans. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between describing the current state and the future state could be more clearly signposted to improve the logical progression of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the layout effectively. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'on the left of' and 'next to' are used frequently. There is little attempt to use more precise or academic vocabulary related to architectural changes or spatial descriptions. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more varied terminology, such as 'relocated', 'transformed', 'extended', or 'incorporated', to describe the redevelopment process more dynamically.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in center', 'on east', 'to the left'), subject-verb agreement issues ('there is a sport halls'), and punctuation errors. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The student should focus on proofreading for basic article usage and pluralisation to ensure greater accuracy in their writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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