Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-02

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 6.5)

The maps illustrate about the current view of a small town called Islip and the plans for its development.

Overall, the area became more modern and developed, with several new facilities being added while some existing ones were removed or relocated. Bus stations, shopping center are newly added while, main road and country side are removed.

On the northern side of the town center, the countryside will be completely redeveloped. The existing main road will be transformed into pedestrians only. ON the north west side bus station and shopping center are newly added and shops are replaced by shopping center and car park.

In the southern part, the housing on the left are unchanged, whereas the housing on the left is replaced by the new housing. The park will stay in the same location, while the school will remain in the south-western corner. The dual carriageway is newly added surrounding the town center, providing better access to the various facilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response provides a clear overview of the changes, identifying the main features such as the new road system and the redevelopment of the northern area. However, the report contains some inaccuracies regarding the map details; for instance, the text claims the 'main road' is removed, whereas the map shows it being bypassed by a new dual carriageway. Additionally, the description of the housing changes is slightly confusing, as it mentions housing on the left being replaced while also stating it remains unchanged. While the key features are highlighted, the precision of the reporting could be improved to better reflect the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the northern and southern sections. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different areas of the town. Cohesive devices such as 'On the northern side', 'In the southern part', and 'whereas' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the paragraph discussing housing, where the distinction between the two areas is not explicitly defined, making the flow slightly disjointed in that specific section.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'redeveloped', 'transformed', and 'dual carriageway'. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'illustrate about' (the verb 'illustrate' does not take a preposition) and 'country side are removed'. The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. There are minor issues with word choice and collocation that, while not impeding communication, prevent the response from reaching a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Bus stations, shopping center are newly added') and missing articles ('on the north west side'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some inconsistencies in capitalization and phrasing. While the meaning is clear, the frequency of these minor errors indicates that the writer has not yet achieved full control over complex structures. The grammar is sufficient for the task but requires more attention to detail to ensure accuracy.

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