Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-23

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 given figure contains the current and the planned future development of Islip. Right now, the north of Islip consists of Countryside and multiple shops. There is a main road in the center which is sandwiched between shops from the front and back side. The south of Islip is filled with housing whereas a park is also there in the south-east of the small town. Moreover, a school is also located in the south-west of the small town. In the new plan, some changes have been incorporated such as the

Countryside that currently surrounds the town from all sides is now planned to be changed into a dual arriageway. It is planned to dedicate some space for new-housing next to the shops in the north-east of the town. Moreover, a bus station will also be developed on the left of the shopping center. While many noticeable changes are planned for the north of Islip, the changes in the south of the Islip are very minimal having only the separation between the new-housing and the old-housing by the carriageway. The location of school, park and main road remains unchanged in the planned development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the task by comparing the current map of Islip with the planned development. An overview is present, highlighting the major transformations in the northern section compared to the minimal changes in the south. Key features, such as the new dual carriageway loop, the pedestrianised main street, and the new amenities like the bus station and shopping centre, are accurately reported. However, there is a minor misinterpretation regarding the countryside: the text states that the countryside surrounding the town is planned to be changed into a dual carriageway, whereas the map shows the dual carriageway replacing the outer edges while countryside remains further out. Overall, the content is well-selected and relevant, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall progression, moving logically from a description of the current layout to the proposed future changes. Information is generally well-linked using cohesive devices such as 'Right now', 'Moreover', and 'While many noticeable changes'. However, paragraphing is weak; the entire response is compressed into just two very dense blocks of text rather than being divided into a logical introduction/overview and separate body paragraphs for current and future features. Referencing is mostly clear, though paragraph breaks would significantly improve the visual organisation and logical flow of the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a task 1 response, successfully incorporating terms such as 'sandwiched', 'incorporated', 'pedestrianised', and 'minimal'. There are some successful attempts at less common vocabulary, but also a few lexical inaccuracies or awkward phrasings, such as 'dual arriageway' (spelling slip for carriageway) and 'on the left of the shopping center' (where 'to the west of' is more academic). Spelling and word-choice errors do not impede communication, placing the response comfortably in the Band 6 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'While many noticeable changes are planned...'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as 'having only the separation between the new-housing and the old-housing by the carriageway' and the missing article in 'location of school'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips recur throughout the text, preventing it from reaching a higher band. Nonetheless, the meaning remains clear throughout.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.