Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-16

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 5.5)

The plans illustrate the current layout of a university sports center and compare its appearance to how it will look after redevelopment.

Overall, it is readily apparent that the sports center will undergo some considerable modifications with the introduction of a leisure pool in place of outdoor courts, new dance studios, a new cafe near the reception, a new sports hall, and more changing rooms, which will develop in the future. In contrast, the main pool area, reception, and gym will remain the same.

Delving deeper into the details, the current plan consists of two outdoor courts, which will emerge with the center. The court on the left side will be replaced by a leisure pool with a changing room, and the courts on the right side will have two dancing studios and a sports hall.

Furthermore, on the entrance, reception will remain the same, but a new cafe will be built on the right side and a sports shop opposite to it. Beside the cafe, a changing room will be developed. Moreover, the main pool, which is 25 meters wide, along with that seating area and a changing room, will remain the same. The gym is on the northern part of the center and will remain in the same place; it will have considerable change in its size in the future.

the present university sports center has two outdoor courts on both sides of the center. Furthermore, the reception area is on the entrance of the center, while a changing room

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main change—the expansion of the centre and replacement of the outdoor courts—and note that the 25m pool, reception and gym remain. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the courts do not “emerge with the center”; the eastern courts are replaced by a sports hall and two dance studios, while the gym extends eastward. The sports shop is not opposite the café, and the café and additional changing room are in the south-east area. The overview also says the gym will remain the same, then later correctly notes that it will grow, creating a contradiction. To strengthen the report, give a clear overview and describe the new facilities by their positions and how they relate to the existing layout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has an opening, an overview and detail paragraphs, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “Moreover” show an attempt to connect information. However, progression is weakened by unclear or misplaced references: “the courts on the right side” is followed by several facilities without explaining their relative positions, and “a sports shop opposite to it” is difficult to locate. The final paragraph repeats information already given and ends with an unfinished clause: “while a changing room”. This makes the response feel incomplete and disrupts the overall flow. Organise the details into a clear sequence—for example, west-side changes, then east-side changes—and remove the repeated, unfinished ending.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of planning vocabulary, including “redevelopment”, “replaced”, “remain”, “northern part” and “considerable modifications”. These choices help communicate the broad changes. Some expressions, however, are imprecise or unnatural for describing a plan: “will emerge with the center” does not clearly express what happens to the courts, and “two dancing studios” is less accurate than the label “dance studios”. “On the entrance” and “opposite to it” also make locations harder to understand. Aim for precise spatial language and natural collocations, such as “to the west of”, “in the south-east corner” and “will be converted into”. This would make the adequate vocabulary more accurate and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including the relative clause “the main pool, which is 25 meters wide” and the contrast introduced by “while”. Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions remain. For example, “on the entrance” should be expressed as “at the entrance”, while “the courts on the right side … will have two dancing studios and a sports hall” has an unclear subject and relationship. The final fragment, “while a changing room”, is incomplete, and the overview’s statement that the gym will remain the same conflicts with the later claim that its size will change. Check sentence completeness and ensure tense and meaning remain consistent when comparing present and future plans.

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