Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-18
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 7.5)
The maps illustrate how the centre Islip is at present and the changes planned for it.
Overall, the town centre will be transformed from a road-based shopping area into a largely pedestrianised zone surrounded by a ring road, with considerably more facilities and housing.
Currently, the centre is organised with an east-west main road, with a row of shops on either side. Housing lies to the south-east, and the school is in the south-west, while countryside borders the town to the north.
Under the plan, the main road will be closed to traffic and become a pedestrian-only street, and only the southern row of shops will remain. The northern shops will be replaced by a bus station, a shopping centre and a car park, together with an area of new housing in the north-east. A ring road will encircle the whole centre, linked to a new dual carriageway approaching from the west.
The south will also change, with further new housing and the park. The park and school will stay where they are, although they will lie just outside or on the edge of the ring road.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear summary of both maps and highlighting the key changes effectively. An appropriate and clear overview is provided right at the beginning, noting the shift from a road-based shopping area to a pedestrianised zone with a ring road and expanded facilities. Key features are accurately reported, such as the creation of the dual carriageway (described as a ring road), the pedestrianisation of the central street, and the replacement of the northern shops with a bus station, shopping centre, and car park. The spatial relationships and positional descriptions are precise, matching the visual data closely. The response meets all requirements of Academic Task 1 successfully and demonstrates a well-developed, fully responsive approach.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. Information is introduced in a logical sequence, beginning with an introductory sentence, followed by an overview paragraph, a description of the current layout, and finally the planned developments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function. Cohesive devices are managed well, using phrases like 'Currently', 'Under the plan', and 'The south will also change' to transition smoothly between sections. Referencing is clear throughout, and referencing words like 'it', 'they', and 'the whole centre' anchor the text effectively without causing any ambiguity.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to map description tasks. Words and phrases such as 'transformed', 'pedestrianised zone', 'encircle', 'dual carriageway', and 'replaces' show good lexical control. There are occasional slight awkwardnesses, such as 'centre Islip' in the opening sentence missing the preposition 'of', but overall the lexical choices are precise and appropriate. Less common vocabulary items are used with good awareness of style and collocation, allowing the student to convey the spatial changes accurately and fluently without relying on overly repetitive terminology.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The text contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with frequent error-free sentences. The student handles relative clauses, conditional ideas in descriptive contexts, and passive structures well, as seen in 'the main road will be closed to traffic and become a pedestrian-only street' and 'the northern shops will be replaced by a bus station'. Punctuation and grammatical control are strong throughout. The minor omission of the preposition 'of' in the opening sentence ('centre Islip') is an isolated slip and does not impede communication or affect the overall high standard of grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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