Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 change that took place in current university sports center and the future sports center.

Overall, it is evident that there will be a range of significant changes and additions between the current university sports center and the future university sports center.

There is a 25m pool at the middle of the sports center, and a gym is located in the north side. A changing room is located at left side of the pool, and it attached with pool via a door and a setting zone area situated in the east side of the pool. Two particular outdoor courts situated at the east side and the west side of the sports center.

In the new layout, there were many significant new changes for the future plans. A new sports shop and cafe will represent at the west side and east side of the reception. Two new changing rooms will build southwest and southeast side of the sports center. There will be introduced a sports hall and two particular dancing studios in the east side. Previous pool, seating area, changing room and gym will remain unchanged. However, a new leisure pool will establish in the west side of the sports center.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully covers the main features of the sports centre plans, highlighting the current layout and the proposed redevelopment changes. An overview is provided, noting that significant changes and additions will take place. Key features such as the pool, gym, changing rooms, new leisure pool, sports shop, café, and dancing studios are identified and compared between the two maps. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in locating certain features, such as placing the new leisure pool in the west instead of the east. Despite this, the task is adequately addressed, earning a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, a description of the current layout, and finally the future plans. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as "Overall," "In the new layout," and "However." However, referencing is sometimes repetitive or slightly mechanical, and the progression between sentences could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately, resulting in a coherent overall arrangement that meets the criteria for Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like "redevelopment," "unchanged," "reception," and "facilities." However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as "change that took place in current university sports center" instead of "current layout," "setting zone area" instead of "seating area," and "will represent at" instead of "will be located." While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as "Overall, it is evident that there will be a range of significant changes..." However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with passive voice and prepositions, such as "two new changing rooms will build" instead of "will be built," "located at left side" instead of "on the left side," and "it attached with pool" instead of "it is attached to the pool." These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, placing the grammar at a Band 5.5.

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