Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-29

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The maps below show the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now, and plans for its development.

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

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The map illustrates the centre of Islip where a small town as it is now, and plans for its development. Overall, according to the plan, Islip town will be more organized, expanded facilities and increased infrastructure.

Now shops, housing , park and school located below the main road where located throughout the centre, and shops and country side are above the main road.

In development plan of Islip town centre will locate center of main road. In north, bus station, shopping centre, car park and new new housing will be from the west side. shop sections, housing and new housing, and park will locate in south. In addition, the centre will be bordered dual carriage way, and school and housing will be located below the centre.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 126 words. This significantly impacts the development of the response. While you have identified some main features, such as the new housing and the dual carriageway, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully report the changes. To improve, you should aim to describe the locations more precisely using directional language and provide a more comprehensive overview of the transformation. Because the response is under-length, it is penalized in this criterion as the information is not sufficiently developed to meet the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the logical flow is hindered by the lack of cohesive devices. Phrases like 'In north' and 'In addition' are used, but the connection between sentences is often mechanical or unclear. The referencing is sometimes confusing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial layout of the town. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'whereas') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence to guide the reader through the comparison of the two maps.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'shops', 'housing', and 'park' throughout the text. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'expanded facilities and increased infrastructure', which do not quite fit the context of a map description. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to urban planning, such as 'residential area', 'commercial zone', 'pedestrianized', or 'infrastructure development'. Additionally, ensure that your word choices are accurate to avoid confusion regarding the specific features of the town.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the' is often missing) and prepositions ('where located throughout the centre'). Sentence structures are generally simple, and there are issues with word order and punctuation, such as 'new new housing'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which limits your ability to express relationships between the different features of the map. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subject-verb agreement, and practicing the correct use of articles and prepositions. Incorporating more complex structures, such as relative clauses, would also help improve your score.

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