Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-14

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 two maps' layout depicts the current state of a town named Islip centre and the proposed future development.

Overall, significant infrastructure redevelopment can be seen in the future, with a complete shift from a rural area in Islip town. More community-focused facilities will be available, for instance a bus station, shopping mall and car park.

At present, the map features a main road running from east to west, lined with shops on both sides of the road. Countryside to the north and housing, a school and a park to the south side of the map.

In the coming year, Islip town's current shops to the north will be renovated by a bus station, shopping centre and car park. The road infrastructure will witness a major development with a ring dual carriageway; moreover, a road will be constructed only for pedestrians. Two more new housing will be built; one will be in the southeast and the second one on the northeast side of the layout. Nonetheless, the present school and housing will be unchanged. The park zone will be reduced in size compared with the present one while remaining in the same east side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the maps, including the proposed infrastructure changes such as the ring road, pedestrian zone, and new facilities. You have made relevant comparisons between the current and future states. However, the description of the locations is occasionally imprecise; for example, stating the park remains on the 'same east side' is slightly confusing given the layout changes. To reach a higher band, ensure that spatial descriptions are perfectly clear and that all major changes, such as the removal of the original shops, are explicitly highlighted as a contrast to the new developments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that transition from the current state to the future plans. Cohesive devices such as 'At present', 'In the coming year', and 'moreover' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is appropriate, separating the current layout from the proposed developments. To improve, ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother; some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing of specific areas could be more precise to avoid ambiguity.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the maps, using terms like 'infrastructure redevelopment', 'renovated', and 'dual carriageway'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'renovated by a bus station', which is logically awkward as a bus station would replace or be built on the site of the shops rather than 'renovating' them. Additionally, 'two more new housing' is grammatically incorrect; 'housing' is an uncountable noun. Improving your control over collocations and the precision of your vocabulary will help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For instance, 'The two maps' layout depicts' is slightly awkward; 'The layout of the two maps depicts' would be more natural. The phrase 'two more new housing' is a clear error in noun usage. Furthermore, the sentence 'The road infrastructure will witness a major development with a ring dual carriageway' is well-constructed, but punctuation and article usage could be more consistent throughout the text to ensure higher accuracy.

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

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