Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-14

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 illustrates the layout of a university's sports centre now. After redevelopment, there are some changes in the university sports centre.

Overall, the sports centre is expected to undergo several changes, while some existing facilities will remain in the same places. The main changes involve the addition of new facilities and development.

Some facilities will remain in the same places like the reception area, 25 m pool, seating and gym. In addition, There are outdoor courts on both the western and eastern sides of the sports centre. At present there are no other facilities but in future there are some new facilities. When we go to the reception and move to the western side there will be a sports shop, a changing room and leisure pool. When we move to the eastern side from the reception there will be cafes, changing rooms and dance studios. In the outdoor courts of eastern side there will be a sports hall.

In conclusion, the redevelopment aims to improve the university sports centre.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad purpose of the plans and give an overview that some facilities remain while new ones are added. You also report several relevant changes, including the leisure pool and sports shop on the west side and the sports hall, café and dance studios on the east. However, coverage is partial: the gym is described as remaining in the same place, whereas it extends eastward, and the future arrangement of the two dance studios and additional changing rooms is not clearly explained. The statement that there are “no other facilities” at present is also imprecise, since the plan shows outdoor courts on both sides. A more complete comparison of the main changes and retained features would make the summary more fully responsive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, a paragraph describing features and a brief conclusion. The west-to-east organisation gives the reader some help in following the plan. However, progression is not consistently clear: the paragraph moves from retained facilities to present outdoor courts and then to future locations without clearly separating the two plans. Phrases such as “When we go to the reception and move to the western side” and “When we move to the eastern side” are repetitive and make the description sound like directions rather than a comparison. The conclusion repeats a general aim rather than adding useful information. Grouping retained features together, then describing the western and eastern redevelopment in a consistent order, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “facilities,” “western,” “eastern,” and “25 m pool,” so the main locations and changes are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly “some changes,” “new facilities,” and repeated uses of “move to.” “There are cafes” is less precise than naming the café as a facility, while “in the outdoor courts of eastern side” does not clearly express that the sports hall occupies the former eastern courts. Aim for more exact spatial language such as “to the west of,” “in the south-east corner,” and “replaces the former courts.” This would make the description more concise and precise without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce several understandable simple sentences and attempt longer structures, for example, “Overall, the sports centre is expected to undergo several changes, while some existing facilities will remain in the same places.” However, the range is limited, and errors in sentence construction and punctuation recur. In “Some facilities will remain in the same places like the reception area,” the comparison is awkwardly formed; “such as” would fit the list. The sentence beginning “At present there are no other facilities but in future…” joins contrasting clauses without clear punctuation, and “In addition, There” incorrectly capitalises the word after the comma. The repeated “When we move…” constructions also restrict variety. Practise accurate compound and complex sentences, with clear clause boundaries and consistent punctuation.

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