Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-14

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 two maps illustrate the current layout of Islip town centre and its proposed development.

Overall, it is clear that a lot of new facilities will be introduced after the development such as a new housing, a bus station, a shopping centre and so on. The main road will be replaced by a pedestrians only area.

To begin with, today the Islip town centre has a road in the middle running from east to west and shops on both sides. Towards the southern side of the main road there are housing. A park is situated in the southeast, while the southwest area has a school.

Turning to the remaining data, after the planned development the main road will be replaced by a pedestrians only area while one side of the shops will get replaced by a bus station, a shopping centre, a car park and a new housing. The other shops area will remain unchanged. The southeast park will get smaller and a new housing will be introduced around the area. The school in the south-west direction will become slightly larger, while the whole area will be under a dual carriageway.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main transformation: the east–west road becomes pedestrian-only, northern shops are replaced by new facilities, and the park is reduced. You also compare the two sides of the central street, which addresses the task. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. The school is described as becoming larger, although the plan shows it remaining outside the dual-carriageway loop, with no stated expansion. Saying “the whole area will be under a dual carriageway” also misrepresents the plan: the carriageway forms a loop around the central area, while the school and southern housing remain outside it. The overview could better summarise this road reorganisation and the retention of existing southern shops and housing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, a description of the current map, and a paragraph on the planned changes. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with” and “Turning to” help signal the shift between maps, and the main comparisons are generally easy to follow. This coherent arrangement is a strength. To make progression more precise and less dependent on formulaic transitions, group details by location or by what changes and what remains. For example, the final paragraph moves from the northern facilities to the southern park and school without clearly distinguishing areas inside and outside the new loop. More explicit referencing would also clarify which “shops area” remains.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of map-related vocabulary, including “layout,” “proposed development,” “situated,” “replaced,” and “remain unchanged.” These choices communicate the main changes, and terms such as “east to west” and “southeast” help locate features. Some wording is imprecise or repetitive, however: “a lot of new facilities” is broad, while “new housing” is repeated and “get replaced” is less suitable for a formal report. “The whole area will be under a dual carriageway” also uses an inaccurate collocation that obscures the loop arrangement. Aim for more exact verbs and location phrases, such as “encircle,” “be converted into,” and “to the north of,” to describe the plan clearly and formally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more developed sentence forms, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and the contrast between what will change and what will remain. Most meanings are understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. In “there are housing,” the plural verb does not agree with the uncountable noun; use “there is housing” or “there are houses.” The phrases “a new housing” and “a pedestrians only area” also show problems with articles and countability; write “new housing” and “a pedestrian-only area.” In addition, “the school … will become slightly larger” is grammatically formed but reports an unsupported change. Continue practising articles, noun forms, and agreement while varying sentence structures.

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