Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-23

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 following maps represent a small town named "Islip" as it is now and plans for its future development.

The town of Islip as it now has a singular main road running through it from West to East. The main road is surrounded by an array of shops from either side and towards the northern side is the countryside. The west side of the main road is connected with a by road towards the south which has a school and a housing complex at the end of it. And towards the east side of the main road is another by road going south which has a parking area at the end of it.

The future plans for the town of Islip feature a much more continuous road around the main buildings. The road now going from West to east splits into a dual carriageway going around the main buildings where they lie inside the perimeter made by the circling roads. Towards the northern side is an array of buildings including a Bus station and next to it is a shopping center followed by a carpark. At the east most side is a new housing complex which connects to the east side of the dual carriageway. This northern section is separated by a pedestrians only area and right under it is an array of shops spanning throughout the full width of the town center. Below the shopping complex towards the west lie more housing areas with new housing areas available towards the right, followed by a car park connecting to the east side of the road. On the southern most part of the dual carriageway towards the east is a school followed by more housing space towards the right.

This concludes the 2 layouts for the towns. Overall the planned developments seem positive as it not only streamlines transportation but also adds more space for accommodations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of both maps well. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the introduction of the dual carriageway and the relocation of facilities. However, the description of the future plan is somewhat cluttered and occasionally confusing, particularly when describing the location of the new housing and shops. To improve, ensure you group features more logically (e.g., transport, residential, commercial) rather than describing them in a linear, map-tracing fashion. The overview is present but could be more analytical by highlighting the shift from a simple through-road to a more complex, pedestrian-focused town centre.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, moving from the current layout to the future plans. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'towards the northern side' and 'at the east most side', to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the spatial relationships between the new buildings become difficult to follow. Improving the use of linking phrases to show contrast between the two maps would enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dual carriageway', 'perimeter', and 'streamlines'. However, there is some repetition of basic phrases like 'an array of' and 'towards the... side'. To reach a higher band, try to vary your descriptive language and use more precise collocations. For example, instead of 'by road', use 'secondary road' or 'access road'. Some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'east most side', which should be 'easternmost'.

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 slips, such as 'The town of Islip as it now has' (should be 'as it is now') and 'The east most side' (should be 'The easternmost side'). There are also minor punctuation issues and awkward phrasing, such as 'right under it is an array of shops'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent preposition use.

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

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