Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-13

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 illustrates the layout of Grange Park when it opened in 1920 and how it looks the same park today. Overall, the park has changed many features, some were removed and some facilities were added.

In 1920, the entrance were on the Arnold Avenue and Eldon Street with rose gardens near the each entrance. A fountain was in the centre and a stage for musicians next to the fountain. A pond for water plants were there next to the rose garden and also a glasshouse was there opposite to the pond. There were multiple seats around the park.

Today, many features were built and added by new features. The fountain has been replaced by rose garden surrounded by seats on all sides. The stage for musicians has been replaced by Amphitheatre for concerts. New cafe and childrens's play area has been added. A large entrance underground car park hadsbeeb added too.

In conclusion, Grange Park has become more focused on retreat while maintaining the main entrance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main change in the centre—the fountain is replaced by a rose garden with seats—and mention the amphitheatre, café, play area and underground car park. However, the account is only partly complete: it does not clearly describe the park’s overall layout or several important changes, including the removal of the pond and glasshouse, the new south-east water feature, and the north-west rose garden’s remaining in place. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the 1920 entrances were central on the north and south sides, not described as having rose gardens near each entrance, and the glasshouse was not opposite the pond. The overview is also vague. Summarise the main transformations more precisely and compare locations across the two plans.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by separate descriptions of 1920 and today, with a concluding sentence. This makes the basic progression easy to follow. However, the comparison is mostly presented as a list of features in each period, rather than being organised around what changed in particular areas. Some linking is awkward or unclear, such as “Today, many features were built and added by new features,” and the conclusion repeats a broad idea without adding a clear summary of the key changes. Grouping changes by location or by replacement—for example, the centre, western side and eastern side—would create stronger connections between details and make the comparison more cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “fountain,” “rose garden,” “pond,” “glasshouse” and “amphitheatre,” and attempt to describe change with “replaced.” This gives the reader a basic understanding of the plans. However, the range of change and location language is limited, and several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural: “built and added by new features,” “near the each entrance,” and “focused on retreat.” There are also spelling or word-form problems, including “childrens's” and the run-together “hadsbeeb.” Use precise verbs such as “remained,” “was converted into” and “was introduced,” alongside location phrases such as “in the north-east corner,” to report the map more accurately and naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the basic meaning is generally recoverable. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, with errors in agreement, articles and sentence construction. For example, “the entrance were” should be “the entrances were,” while “A pond … were there” needs a singular verb. The phrase “near the each entrance” has an incorrect article pattern, and “The fountain has been replaced” shifts to the present perfect even though the description compares a past plan with the present. The final sentence, “A large entrance underground car park hadsbeeb added too,” is difficult to parse. Practise accurate past and present forms and build clear comparison sentences; these errors currently limit the range and reliability of the writing.

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

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