Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-04

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 maps compares the current layout against the planned development of a small town centre located in Islip.

Overall, the town centre plans to make several changes. The town will have a bus station, car parks, and more houses ava

Currently there is a main road located in the middle of the town centre that separates the two shopping lanes. In the south of the shopping lane, the area is more residential with houses, a park, and a school. Countryside is in the upper-north of the shopping lane.

In the planned development, there are plans to make many infrastructure changes in and around the town centre. Firstly, the main road between the two shopping lanes will be replaced by the pedestrains only street. The town centre will have a dual carriageway to travel around the town centre. The shopping lane in the north which was previously dedicated to shop only will have a bus station, a car park, and new housing. In the south behind the shopping lane, new houses will be constructued, while the position of the park and the school remains unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by comparing the current layout of Islip town centre with the planned developments. The overview paragraph is somewhat incomplete as it abruptly trails off ('houses ava'), which prevents the response from achieving a higher band. However, the key features are selected and reported well, identifying major changes such as the introduction of a dual carriageway, pedestrianised zones, a bus station, and new housing. The supporting details cover both the northern and southern areas accurately, although certain details like the precise repositioning of the park and school are slightly underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement and logical progression throughout. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, current layout, and planned changes. Cohesive devices are generally well-handled, such as the use of 'Currently' and 'In the planned development' to structure the temporal contrast. While referencing and paragraph flow are mostly clear, occasional mechanical links or abrupt shifts slightly limit the sophistication of the structure, keeping the cohesion at a solid level without reaching the flexibility required for the next band.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed for the task, successfully conveying spatial relationships and urban changes. The student attempts less common vocabulary such as 'infrastructure changes', 'dual carriageway', and 'pedestrianised', but encounters some inaccuracies in word choice, form, and spelling, such as 'pedestrains' and 'constructued'. Word choice errors do not impede communication, but they highlight the limitations in precision and control that prevent the response from achieving a higher lexical band. Expanding precision in collocation will help lift this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over future and present tenses suitable for describing maps. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as article usage and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'in the south of the shopping lane' instead of 'to the south'), but these errors rarely impede communication. The majority of the simple sentences are accurate, while attempts at complex structures show developing competence, fitting the criteria for this band level.

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

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