Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-21

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 map shows the changes about the park when it was first open in 1920 and in same park as recent time.

Overall

the park has been changed and modernised .Several old features such as stage ,fountain ,glasshouse and pond has been removed and replaced with new facilities.

In 1920, there was a fountain which is located in the middle of the park and it was removed and rose garden is now located in the center, surrounded by seats. Today the stage of musicians has been replaced by Amphitheatre In previous time, there were three rose garden ,several seats and pond for water plants

Nowadays, a cafe and children playarea have been added in the northern part of the park In the southeast, the glasshouse is replaced with water feature. The entrance and the Eldon street remain the same .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the park's transformation, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You mention the removal of the fountain and the addition of the cafe, but the description lacks sufficient detail to fully develop the comparison. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of the spatial changes and group features logically. Because the response is under-length, it cannot fully address all parts of the task in the required depth, leading to a lower band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, which is a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the description of the 1920 park and the modern park is abrupt. There is a lack of linking words to guide the reader through the comparison (e.g., 'in contrast', 'whereas', 'subsequently'). Additionally, the paragraphing is slightly disjointed, with the overview appearing as a separate, poorly integrated section. Improving the flow between sentences and paragraphs will help achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. You rely on basic verbs like 'removed', 'replaced', and 'added'. While these are accurate, they are repetitive. There is also a minor issue with word choice, such as 'In previous time', which is not idiomatic; 'In the original layout' would be more appropriate. To improve, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary related to urban planning and spatial changes, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'demolished', or 'integrated'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of vocabulary remains limited.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, subject-verb agreement issues occur, such as 'Several old features... has been removed' (should be 'have been') and 'there were three rose garden' (should be 'gardens'). There are also missing articles, such as 'in same park' (should be 'in the same park') and 'children playarea' (should be 'children's play area'). Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with spacing around periods. To reach a higher band, focus on correcting these basic errors and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement.

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

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