Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-08

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 map layout clearly depicts the Islip town center present structure along with the development plan of the same town center for the comparison.

Overall, the whole center is being transformed with many additional features. The empty space in the present map is used for major facilities.Only minor features remains the same while other are transformed or replaced by new facilities.

In the new development plan school on the south remains at the same location along with the shops to the south of main road, new housing is added on the west side of park, the location of park remains particularly same but it is covering less area in new plane.

The countryside, main road and shops to it's north are covered by the new Dual carriageway. The main road is transformed into pedestrians only while the shops to it's north are being replaced by Bus station, shopping center, car park and a new housing.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main direction of change and give a useful overview: the centre is substantially redeveloped, while some features remain. You also correctly note that the school stays in place, the southern shops remain, the park becomes smaller, and the main street becomes pedestrian-only. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. The countryside is not described as being covered by the dual carriageway in the plan; rather, the carriageway forms a loop around the centre. The western housing and the school are outside that loop, and the plan adds a bus station, shopping centre and car park north of the pedestrian street. Your account mentions these facilities but does not clearly explain their positions or the new housing areas. More precise coverage of the layout would make the comparison fuller.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable progression: an introduction, an overview, and then details about what remains or changes. This helps the reader follow the broad comparison. However, the final paragraph combines several separate map changes in long sentences, so the relationships between locations are not always clear. For example, the sentence beginning “The countryside, main road and shops to it's north” moves from the outer area to the central street and then to replacement facilities without clearly distinguishing these changes. The overview also repeats the idea that features are transformed or replaced. Grouping information by area—north of the pedestrian street, south of it, and around the perimeter—and using clearer references would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of map-related vocabulary, including “development plan,” “transformed,” “replaced,” “facilities,” and “pedestrians only.” These choices communicate the main changes, and terms such as “location” and “area” help describe spatial relationships. Some word choices are imprecise or repetitive, however: “empty space” does not accurately describe all the areas being redeveloped, and “minor features” is vague when referring to features that remain. There are also spelling and form errors, including “center” alongside the British place-name context, “plane” for “plan,” and “it's” where the possessive “its” is needed. More precise map vocabulary and consistent spelling would make the description clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast in “while the shops to it's north are being replaced…” and the overview beginning “Overall.” The main meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. In “Only minor features remains,” the plural subject requires “remain,” and “other are transformed” needs a plural noun or pronoun, such as “others.” The phrase “school on the south remains” is missing an article, while “the location of park” also needs one. Punctuation is occasionally faulty: there is no space after the full stop in “facilities.Only,” and the opening sentence is awkwardly constructed. Check agreement, articles and sentence boundaries when editing.

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

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