Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-04

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)

Given two maps illustrates centre of a small town called Islip as now and plans after development, where it is evident that several changes and new facilities will be available for convenience of the citizens of town.

Currently, the town is equipped with countryside and several shops in north direction. Furthermore, another line of shops is situated in beside main road and on the southern part, large housing area is present. Additionally, on the south eastern part a school is situated and on the south western part a park is present.

On the other hand, there are several significant changes can be observed in the developed plan. Now there are bus station ,shopping centre, car parking, and new housing space is planed, replacing the countryside area. Moreover, the main road is replaced by pedestrians only path, and a dual carriageway is developed around whole town. However, the southern part of the town is unchanged, as the housing area, school and park can still be seen on the plan, but the area of the park is reduced.

Therefore, it can be concluded that, these changes and new facilities will create a positive impact in development of town, as new shopping centre will attract more tourists, and the car park and bus station will make commuting easy than ever.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the maps, including the new facilities and the changes to the road network. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the replacement of the countryside with housing and the introduction of a dual carriageway. However, the overview is slightly weak; while you mention that changes will create a positive impact, it would be more effective to summarize the most significant physical transformations, such as the town's expansion and the shift toward pedestrianization. The comparison between the 'now' and 'future' states is clear, and the inclusion of specific details like the reduced park size demonstrates a good level of observation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, moving from the current state to the future plan and concluding with a summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and article usage (e.g., 'citizens of town' instead of 'citizens of the town'). The progression of ideas is generally smooth, but the flow could be improved by varying the sentence structure more effectively to avoid a repetitive list-like feel in the second paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dual carriageway', 'pedestrians only path', and 'significant changes'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'in beside main road' (should be 'beside the main road') and 'make commuting easy than ever' (should be 'easier than ever'). While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, some phrasing remains slightly unnatural. To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that prepositions are used correctly in spatial descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include missing articles ('Given two maps illustrates' should be 'The two maps illustrate'), subject-verb agreement issues ('new housing space is planed' should be 'are planned'), and punctuation errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic articles and verb forms will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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