Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-05
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)
At present, heading towards north in university sports center, there is a reception behind , which there is a pool of twenty five meters length. Heading towards north, on right side there is a portion for Seating and on left side a changing room is there. Behind the pool a gym is also there. Two outdoor courts are there in east and west direction of pool.
After redevelopment, reception, seating, changing room and pool will be at the same location. Outdoor courts will be demolished and gym area will have to be expanded. Alongside seating, there is an addition of sports hall. A portion of the east side outdoor court will be converted into dance studios. While entering into sports center, there will be cafe on right side behind which, there will be a changing room. On left side of entrance there will be sports shop behind which, there will be changing room. There is an addition of leisure pool on west side of reception .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the task only partially, presenting an incomplete and somewhat confused summary of the maps. While the writer attempts to describe both the present layout and the future plans, key features are missed or inaccurately located. For instance, the spatial relationships are frequently confused, such as placing the reception 'behind' the pool or misdescribing the position of the outdoor courts. Furthermore, the response lacks a clear overall overview of the changes, jumping straight into minute details without synthesizing the main trends, such as the overall expansion of the building footprint. Ideas are limited and under-developed, which prevents the response from achieving a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some basic organization present in the text, as the writer attempts to divide the description into the present layout and the future redevelopment. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the spatial tracking is difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are repetitive and mechanical, relying heavily on directional phrases like 'Heading towards north' and 'behind which' without creating a smooth logical flow. Paragraphing is also rudimentary, with the entire present description crammed into a single block of text that lacks internal cohesion and makes it challenging for the reader to navigate the spatial relationships.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic concepts related to the maps. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to building features, such as 'redevelopment', 'demolished', and 'converted', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice and expression, such as 'twenty five meters length' instead of 'twenty-five-metre length'. There are also awkward collocations and phrasing, such as 'portion for Seating' instead of 'seating area'. These lexical inaccuracies occasionally cause difficulty for the reader in grasping the exact configuration of the sports centre.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic locational clauses. Attempts at more complex structures or prepositional phrases are often faulty, leading to frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. There are notable issues with prepositions and word order inside grammatical patterns, such as 'behind , which there is' and 'While entering into sports center'. Additionally, article usage is frequently inaccurate, such as omitting necessary articles before nouns ('there will be cafe', 'there will be leisure pool'). These frequent errors can cause some difficulty and strain for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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