Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagrams below illustrates the centre of a small town called lslip at the present time and plans for its future development.

Overall,the city centre is planned to be more developed with new facilities and amenities to be added , such as bus stations ,shopping centre,car parks , new housing and roads .

looking at the present state of the centre it has a main road going through the centre with two shops to its opposite sides , with a country side to its northern part.In the southren section of the centre there are housing and a school to its west and a park for the general population to its east connected both by a road .

In the near future the centre has become more developed with the countryside replaced with newer facilities,bus station, shopping centre,car park and new housing all connected by a road .The main road has been transformed into a pedestrian

only zone.To the south of the centre there are now new housings for people, while the shop and the park reamin un-bothered.The school and housing have been moved to the outskirts of the centre with a dual carriageway going all around the centre.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main purpose of the plans and provide a clear overview of substantial change, including new facilities, a pedestrian-only street and a dual carriageway. You also compare the present and planned layouts, so the key task is addressed. Several details, however, are inaccurate or insufficiently precise: the countryside is not simply replaced by facilities, and the school and existing housing are not moved to the outskirts; they remain south of the loop. The southern shops also remain, while the park is reduced rather than unchanged. Your account of the planned northern area is useful, but the southern arrangement and what remains in place need clearer reporting. More exact comparisons would strengthen an otherwise relevant summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable progression: an introduction, an overview, a description of the current map and then the proposed plan. This makes the comparison generally easy to follow. However, some linking and referencing are awkward or unclear. For example, “connected both by a road” does not clearly identify which places are connected, and “In the near future” is followed by a long sequence of facilities that would be easier to understand if grouped by location. The overview also repeats several details that appear later. Use clearer spatial signposting such as “to the north of the pedestrian street” and “in the southern section,” and organise each map description around north and south. This would make the progression more controlled and less list-like.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “pedestrian only zone,” “dual carriageway,” “outskirts” and “facilities,” which helps communicate the planned changes. There is some range, but several choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing maps: “the shop and the park remain un-bothered” does not convey that the shops remain while the park becomes smaller, and “new housings” is not the usual form for residential areas. Spelling and word-form slips such as “lsl ip” (written as “lslip”), “southren” and “reamin” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise location and change vocabulary, and check spelling and collocations. For example, “housing” is generally uncountable in this context, while “residential areas” is a useful alternative.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “with” and a contrast between the present and future layouts. However, errors in sentence formation and punctuation are frequent enough to make some passages less clear. The opening says “The diagrams below illustrates,” where the plural subject requires “illustrate.” In “Overall,the city centre…,” spacing after punctuation is missing, and the sentence beginning “looking at the present state” is a fragment-like construction with several ideas joined together. Tense control also shifts awkwardly in “In the near future the centre has become more developed.” Use consistent present tense for the current map and future or planned forms for the proposal, and divide long descriptions into complete, clearly punctuated sentences.

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