Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-22

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 provided maps compare the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now and its planned development.

Overall, the town centre is expected to undergo substantial redevelopment, with the existing main road being replaced by a dual carriageway around the centre. Several new facilities, including a bus station, shopping centre, car park, along with new housing.

At present, the town has a countryside in the north, while two shops are located below it on either side of the main road. A park is located at the esatern end of the main road. Residential areas occupy the central part of the town, with housing located both north and south of the main road. A school located in the south-west of the main road.

The planned development aims to include alot more amenities. There will be a dual carriageway surrounding the town centre. A pedestrian-only path will also be added. The shops will remain at the same location as before. The park which was at the end of main road will be at the same place, but now surrounded by the dual carriageway. Additional new housing is planned opposite the existing residential area. The school and the old housing will reamin in the south of the town.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the changes shown in the two maps of Islip. The overview correctly identifies the major structural shift, specifically the replacement of the main road with a dual carriageway loop and the addition of new commercial and residential zones. Key features are reported, such as the new bus station, shopping centre, and pedestrianisation of the central street. However, there is a minor grammatical fragment in the overview ('along with new housing') where a verb is missing, and the description occasionally misses some spatial precision, such as omitting the exact placement of the new housing in the northeast. Nonetheless, the core information and main comparisons are well-reported, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0. A score of 6.5 reflects the strong general coverage tempered by minor developmental slips.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is structured logically into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, a detailed description of the current map, and a detailed description of the planned development. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the spatial comparisons, such as 'At present', 'The planned development', and 'as before'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the present state from the future plans. However, referencing and transitions are at times a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences in the second paragraph is disrupted by the incomplete clause ('along with new housing'). Overall, the logical organisation provides a clear progression throughout, making it easy to follow the changes.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a map-reading task, employing appropriate terms such as 'redevelopment', 'dual carriageway', 'pedestrian-only', and 'amenities'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some lexical choices or collocations are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as writing 'a countryside in the north' instead of 'countryside to the north' or 'esatern' instead of 'eastern'. Spelling errors are minimal ('alot', 'reamin'), but word choices remain somewhat basic. The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and does not impede communication, placing the response solidly in the Band 6 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses ('The park which was at the end...') and passive voice ('is expected to undergo', 'will be added'). However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as the sentence fragment in the overview ('Several new facilities... along with new housing') and missing verbs ('A school located in the south-west'). Punctuation and articles also show occasional lapses (e.g., 'at the end of main road'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching Band 7.

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

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