Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-10

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 architecture illustrates the layout of a university's sports centre before the construction of sports centre and It is showing the new layout of building.

Overall, There has been significant Improvements in various amenities firstly, The outdoor courts both in old centre has been replaced with leisure pool on left side and sports hall on the right side of the Reception area.

In the direction of south direction, before there was only reception . However, In new architecture the space is utilized with changing room, sports shop on the left side and cafe and changing room on the right side of the reception. Reception area remains same as it is as in old structure. Seating, changing room and 25m pool layout kept as same as it is.

On the East side of the sports centre there has been 2 new Dance studio is build and North side Gym is expanded.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the sports centre redevelopment, including the addition of the leisure pool, sports hall, and dance studios. However, the overview is somewhat weak, and there are inaccuracies in the description of the layout. For instance, the student mentions the reception remains the same, but the plan shows significant changes to the surrounding areas. The description of the 'south direction' is confusing, and the report lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the most significant changes. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in describing the spatial relationships prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'on the left side' and 'on the right side'. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track the specific locations being described. The logical progression is present but hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of varied linking words to connect the comparison of the two plans 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 word-choice errors, such as 'architecture' used to refer to the floor plan, and 'significant Improvements' (capitalized incorrectly). The phrasing 'kept as same as it is' is repetitive and informal. While the student successfully uses terms like 'redevelopment', 'amenities', and 'expanded', the range is limited, and the reliance on basic directional language restricts the ability to describe the layout with sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'there has been 2 new Dance studio is build' (subject-verb agreement and passive voice error) and 'before there was only reception' (missing article). Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalization. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction and verb tense usage prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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