Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-25

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 layout depicts the heart of the town named Islip in its current state and the plan for its modernization.

Islip will be going through several modifications. The expansion in its real estate is clearly visible along with numerous amenities being introduced for the convenience in the proposed map.

To begin with, the most striking feature, the dual carriageway will be constructed in such a manner that it encircles the town, providing a smoother transit for the commuters who earlier had to go through the center itself. In addition to that, the shops towards the north will be merged into one single shopping center creating a lot more space for new car parking. On the northwestern corner a bus station will be launched, adding to the convenience of the residents. Whereas, the space in the northeastern region will be allocated for new housing.

Additionally, the main road which currently is used for commute will be transformed into a pedestrian only road. Moreover, the housing which now is in the center of the town will be shifted towards the southwestern corner of the Islip leaving more land area for the new housing in the southern direction of the map. The area of park located in the southeastern region of the town will be shared by the dual carriageway shrinking it down roughly to half of its original size. Moving further to the shops just south of the main road, they will remain in their original state. Finaly the school will also go through a minor renovation as is evident in the blueprints of the plan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers all key aspects of the task, successfully contrasting the current layout of Islip with the proposed developmental changes. You correctly identify the introduction of the dual carriageway loop, the pedestrianization of the main road, and the transformation of the northern shops into a bus station, shopping centre, and car park. Furthermore, you accurately note the additions of new housing and the reduction in size of the park. However, the statement that 'the school will also go through a minor renovation as is evident in the blueprints' is not supported by the visual data, as the school remains unchanged outside the loop. Additionally, an overarching overview paragraph summarising the main trends at the beginning or end is missing, which prevents the response from reaching Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, moving from an introduction to body paragraphs detailing the perimeter and internal changes. Cohesive devices are employed with reasonable success, such as 'To begin with', 'In addition to that', and 'Additionally', which help guide the reader through the spatial transformations. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and referencing occasionally lacks precision, such as in the phrase 'the Islip' or 'Finaly', where a typo occurs ('Finaly' instead of 'Finally'). Paragraphing is generally appropriate, providing a coherent overall arrangement that makes the comparison easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, successfully employing functional terms related to maps and urban planning such as 'modernization', 'encircles', 'pedestrian only road', and 'blueprints'. There are some successful less common items and collocations like 'smooth transit' and 'allocated for new housing'. However, there are minor lexical inaccuracies, such as using 'real estate' when referring to town features and a spelling error ('Finaly'). The range is sufficient for some flexibility and precision, but lacks the sophisticated control required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases effectively (e.g., 'the dual carriageway will be constructed in such a manner that it encircles the town, providing a smoother transit for the commuters who earlier had to go through the center itself'). There are instances of good grammatical control, but a few awkward phrasings persist, such as 'shifting towards the southwestern corner of the Islip leaving more land area'. Punctuation is generally sound, and grammatical errors do not impede communication.

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