Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-16
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 8.0)
The plans illustrate the current layout of a university sports centre and the proposed changes following its redevelopment.
Overall, the sports centre is planned to undergo significant changes, with the outdoor courts being replaced by a range of new indoor and leisure facilities. However, the main 25-metre pool, gym, seating area and reception will remain in their current positions.
At present, the sports centre has a 25-metre pool in the middle, with a gym located directly to the north. A changing room is situated on the western side of the pool, while seating is provided on the eastern side. The reception is located at the southern entrance. In addition, there are outdoor courts on both the eastern and western sides of the centre.
After redevelopment, the outdoor courts will be removed. The western side will contain a large leisure pool, together with a new changing room and a sports shop in the southwest. On the eastern side, the seating area will remain, while a sports hall will be constructed next to it. Two dance studios will also be added along the northeastern side. Furthermore, a café and another changing room will be provided near the southern entrance. The existing gym, 25-metre pool and reception will remain.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
The response successfully covers all parts of the task, providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the changes shown in the two maps. The overview effectively highlights the main transformation—the replacement of outdoor courts with various indoor facilities while key central structures remain unchanged. Specific details are accurately reported, such as the addition of the leisure pool, sports hall, dance studios, sports shop, and café, and how these replace the former outdoor areas. The comparison between the present and future layouts is clear and fully supported by the visual data. There are no omissions or inaccuracies, earning a top band score for this criterion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organised with a clear progression from the introduction to the overview, the current layout, and finally the future plans. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct and logical function in structuring the report. Cohesive devices are managed well, using transition words and phrases such as 'Overall', 'At present', 'In addition', and 'After redevelopment' to guide the reader smoothly through the temporal and spatial changes. Reference pronouns and lexical chains are handled skillfully without attracting any negative attention. Cohesion is natural and unobtrusive throughout the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task describing changes in a floor plan. Words and phrases such as 'undergo significant changes', 'leisure facilities', 'constructed', and 'redevelopment' are used naturally and with precision. Collocations are accurate, and less common items are integrated smoothly into the text without awkward phrasing. There are no notable spelling or word-choice errors. The vocabulary is more than sufficient to convey precise spatial relationships and transformations with ease and clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with relative clauses, participial phrases, and appropriate conditional time markers. Sentences such as 'The plans illustrate the current layout of a university sports centre and the proposed changes following its redevelopment' and 'On the eastern side, the seating area will remain, while a sports hall will be constructed next to it' demonstrate excellent structural variety. The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free, with only rare, minor slips that do not impede communication. Punctuation and tense consistency (shifting smoothly between present descriptions and future predictions) are handled with high precision.
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