Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-03

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 6.5)

The two map diagrams highlight how the central area of Islip town looks now and after its redevelopment plans will be executed.

Overall, renovation plans suggest more packed central space oriented to commerical and residential facilities. The main road is transformed into dual carriageway and two rows of shops are reduced into one. New facilities such as bus station, cark park, shoping centre and pedestrian area are added.

Currently, the main road runs along the centre of map with multiple shops on its top and bottom. Upper northern area of layout is a countryside while the lower southern part is mainly a residental area. The main road is divided into two routes: one facing east direction that leads to a school while the other one facing west and directly ends at a park.

Redevelopment plans for future highlight the central space of town as more enclosed with various amenities. Two narrow routes will arise from east and west and join to enclose the central area. From upper right corner, a narrow route will branch off to new housing. In the left side there will be a bus station attached to a shopping centre and next to it will be a car park area. Below these three sections, will be a space allocated for pedestrians under which will be a single row of shops. In the lower-right corner is a park and remianing space will be reserved for housing. The enclosed space also has a dual carraigeway and lower-left corner leads to a school which follows the housing in a straight path ahead.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the changes shown in the Islip maps. An effective overview is included, noting the shift toward a more enclosed central space with upgraded commercial and residential facilities. Key features are selected and reported accurately, such as the transformation of the main road into a dual carriageway, the pedestrianisation of the central street, and the addition of a bus station, car park, and shopping centre. While the report covers the major developments well, some spatial details are slightly generalized or under-developed, which prevents the response from achieving a higher band, yet it fully satisfies the requirements for a solid performance at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of information from the introduction to the overview, the current layout, and finally the future plans. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate these distinct aspects of the prompt. Cohesive devices are generally present, such as 'Overall,' 'Currently,' and 'Redevelopment plans for future,' helping to guide the reader through the comparisons. However, some referencing and transitional links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and sentences within paragraphs could sometimes be tied together more smoothly. This reflects a clear logical organisation that meets the standards of this band while holding back advanced cohesive flexibility.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'redevelopment plans,' 'pedestrian area,' 'dual carriageway,' and 'amenities.' There are occasional lexical inaccuracies and spelling slips, such as 'commerical' instead of commercial, 'cark park' instead of car park, 'shoping' instead of shopping, and 'remianing' instead of remaining. Furthermore, some collocations are slightly awkward, such as 'packed central space.' Although these errors do not impede communication, they highlight the limitations in word choice and spelling control characteristic of this band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like 'The two map diagrams highlight how...' and 'New facilities such as... are added.' There are some errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text, including missing articles ('a bus station,' 'a car park'), incorrect prepositional usage, and slight phrasing awkwardness like 'Below these three sections, will be a space allocated for pedestrians under which will be a single row of shops.' However, these grammatical slips are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the descriptions without difficulty.

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

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