Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 two plans illustrate Grange park in 1920 and its current state.

Overall, the park has significant changes over the years.

In 1920 and today the park has two entrances, One on Arnold Avenue and the other on Eldon Street. There were three rose gardens evenly distributed in several corners of the park but right now one rose garden has been demolished and one rose garden has been replaced by a cafe. There was a stage for musicians and seating area in the past and right now has been removed and replaced by an amphitheatre for concerts.

In contrast, In the southeastern part of Grange Park, there was a pond for water plants it has been replaced by a children's play area. In the southeast corner of the park there was a glasshouse area it has been replaced by a water feature. A new entrance to an underground car park has also been added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the park in 1920 and today, identifying key changes such as the removal of rose gardens and the addition of the amphitheatre and car park. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic, stating only that the park has 'significant changes'. To reach a higher band, the overview should highlight the most notable trends, such as the shift from a more natural, garden-focused layout to a more facility-oriented space. While the main features are reported, the comparison could be more analytical by grouping features more effectively rather than listing them sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the park. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'right now' is used repeatedly to indicate the present state, which lacks variety. Additionally, some sentences are poorly connected, such as 'In 1920 and today the park has two entrances, One on Arnold Avenue...', where the transition between the past and present could be smoother. Improved use of linking words like 'whereas', 'subsequently', or 'in contrast to' would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. The student relies on basic verbs like 'has', 'replaced', and 'removed'. There is an attempt to use specific terms like 'amphitheatre' and 'glasshouse', which is positive. However, the phrasing is often repetitive, and there is a lack of sophisticated collocations or descriptive language that would better characterize the changes. For example, instead of saying 'one rose garden has been demolished', using 'the rose gardens were partially cleared to make way for...' would demonstrate a wider range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that occasionally affect clarity. For example, 'the park has significant changes' should be 'the park has undergone significant changes'. There are also punctuation issues, such as the capitalization of 'One' in the middle of a sentence and the comma splice in '...water plants it has been replaced...'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. A greater variety of complex structures, such as passive voice or relative clauses, is needed.

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

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