Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-20

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 the current layout of the centre of Islip and the proposed plans for its future development.

Overall, the town centre is expected to undergo significant changes, particularly with the introduction of a new ring road, a bus station, a shopping centre and additional housing. The existing shops and some other facilities will also be reorganised.

At present, the main road runs from east to west through the town centre, with shops located on both sides. Housing occupies most of the southern area, while a park is situated in the southeast. There is also a school in the southwest, and the countryside lies to the north.

Under the proposed plan, the main road will be replaced by a dual carriageway forming a circular route around the central area. The inner part of the town will become largely pedestrianised. A bus station, shopping centre and car park will be built in the northern section, while new housing will be added in both the northeast and southeast. The existing shops will remain but will be located along the pedestrian-only area. The park will remain in the southeast, and the school will stay in the southwest, outside the new ring road.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student fully addresses all parts of the task by accurately summarising the main features and making clear comparisons between the current and future layouts of Islip town centre. The response includes an effective overview that captures the major developments, such as the introduction of a ring road and the reorganisation of facilities. Key details, such as the relocation of shops into a pedestrianised zone and the addition of a bus station, shopping centre, and new housing areas, are correctly reported and grounded in the provided map data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organised and logically sequenced. The text is divided into four appropriate paragraphs, moving from an introduction and overview to the present layout, and finally to the proposed changes. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'Overall', 'At present', and 'Under the proposed plan', guiding the reader smoothly through the spatial comparison without any mechanical or repetitive transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task 1 response, successfully employing descriptive terms such as 'pedestrianised', 'dual carriageway', 'circular route', and 'reorganised'. Word choice and collocations are used with precision, allowing the writer to describe the spatial changes fluently and accurately with no noticeable lexical errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

A wide variety of complex sentence structures is used accurately throughout the response. The student successfully incorporates participial phrases and dependent clauses, such as 'particularly with the introduction of a new ring road' and 'while a park is situated in the southeast'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled with a high degree of control, demonstrating strong command of English grammar.

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

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