Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show a public park when it first opened in 1920 and the same park today.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The plan below illustrates the differences in a public park called Grange Park when it first opened in 1920 and the what it looks like today. The interior of Grange Park has completely changed over the years. Most notably, old facilities have been replaced with new, more aesthetic ones. In 1920, there were multiple small rose gardens placed around the edge of the park, with seats nearby. However, now Grange Park has one old rose garden from the past and a new large rose garden in the centre, with seats surrounding it. The stage for musicians and the fountain that was previously in the middle of the park has now been replenished as an amphitheatre for concerts and a pond. As a new addition, a cafe and children's play area was introduced, making Grange Park an even better place for families to visit. Adding to the two entrances along Arnold avenue and Eldon street, an undergroud car park was made, enabling easy access for visitors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the park in 1920 and today, including the changes to the rose gardens, the addition of the cafe, play area, and car park. You also noted the transformation of the fountain and stage into an amphitheatre and pond. However, the response lacks a clear overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1. An overview should highlight the most significant trends, such as the shift from a more formal, floral-focused layout to a modern, facility-oriented space. Additionally, the description of the entrances is slightly inaccurate, as the plan shows the entrances remained, but the layout of the paths changed significantly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized, moving from a general introduction to specific changes. You use some cohesive devices like 'Most notably', 'However', and 'Adding to', which help the flow of information. However, the text is presented as a single block paragraph. For IELTS Task 1, it is standard practice to use at least two or three paragraphs to separate the introduction/overview from the body details. Improving your paragraphing would significantly enhance the clarity and professional structure of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'replenished', 'aesthetic', and 'amphitheatre', which are appropriate for describing map changes. There are a few minor issues with word choice, such as 'replenished' (which usually refers to refilling supplies rather than replacing structures) and 'undergroud' (spelling error). To reach a higher band, try to use more precise collocations when describing spatial changes, such as 'replaced by' or 'converted into'. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'In 1920, there were multiple small rose gardens placed around the edge of the park, with seats nearby.' There are a few grammatical slips, such as 'the what it looks like' (redundant 'the') and 'a cafe and children's play area was introduced' (subject-verb agreement error: 'were introduced'). Despite these, the errors do not impede communication. To improve, ensure that your subject-verb agreement is consistent when listing multiple items.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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