Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The two maps illustrate Islip town centre at present and its proposed development.
Overall, the town centre is planned to become more pedestrian-friendly with a new dual carriageway encircling it, while the school and some housing to the south remain unchanged.
Currently, the main road cuts through the centre. In the future plan, this road will become pedestrian-only, and a dual carriageway will be built around the town. To the north of this new road, a new bus station, shopping centre, and car park are planned, replacing some shops. A new housing area will also be added near the existing housing, and the park will be relocated to the east of the dual carriageway.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response clearly covers the main features of the maps, noting the removal of shops and the addition of a dual carriageway, bus station, shopping centre, and car park. An appropriate overview is provided, highlighting the shift toward a pedestrian-friendly layout. However, the response is significantly under the minimum length requirement of 150 words, coming in at only 114 words. Due to this under-length penalty, the score is limited to Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized into three paragraphs: an introduction, an overview paragraph, and a body paragraph detailing the specific changes. Cohesive devices such as 'Currently' and 'In the future plan' are used effectively to guide the reader through the temporal comparison. Paragraphing is used appropriately.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
Vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with terms like 'pedestrian-friendly', 'encircling', 'relocated', and 'proposed development' used correctly. There are no notable spelling or word-choice errors, and the vocabulary is sufficient to describe the visual data clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'while the school and some housing to the south remain unchanged' and 'To the north of this new road, a new bus station... are planned'. Grammar and punctuation are well controlled with no major errors impeding communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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