Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-07

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 plans below depict changes in a public park form 1920 to current era.

In 1920, a fountain was located in the centre of the park, and there were two entrance in the park. A pond was located in the northeast, which was used to water plants. Moreover, a stage for musicians was present in the west, and a glasshouse lied in the southeastern side of park. Seats were distributed in various direction of the park. Two rose gardens were evenly distributed in the park.

In contemporary society, several amendments have been made in the park. The rose garden is removed, and a cafe is built over there. Children's play area replaces the pond, and the stage for musicians is changed to an amphitheatre for concerts. Moreover, there is a large rose garden surrounded by seats. Water feature is located in the southeastern side of the park.

Overall, the park has undergone significant changes over the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the park in 1920 and today, successfully identifying key changes such as the removal of the rose gardens and the addition of the cafe and amphitheatre. However, the report lacks a clear overview that synthesises the most significant trends, such as the park's transition from a more natural, open space to a more structured, facility-oriented area. While the main features are reported, the comparison could be more analytical. The description of the water feature in the southeast is slightly inaccurate compared to the visual data, which shows it in the northeast. Overall, the response is relevant but lacks the depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organised into clear paragraphs: an introduction, a description of the 1920 layout, a description of the current layout, and a brief summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'In contemporary society' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of information is generally clear, moving from the past to the present. However, the final sentence is very brief and does not fully serve as a strong concluding summary of the main trends observed in the plans. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'amphitheatre', 'contemporary society', and 'amendments'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'lied' is used incorrectly (should be 'was located' or 'lay'), and 'various direction' should be 'various directions'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. The repetition of 'in the park' at the end of several sentences makes the writing feel somewhat restricted and less natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'two entrance' (should be 'two entrances') and 'form 1920' (should be 'from 1920'). The verb 'lied' is an incorrect past tense form of 'lie'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The sentence structures are generally functional, but there is limited variety in the use of complex grammatical forms. Punctuation is generally accurate, but the overall control of grammar is inconsistent.

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

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