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 map illustrate the present layout of Islip town centre and the proposed changes to its development.

Overall, the Islip town centre now is expected to undego a significant changes, particularly to its road system and commerical area. The most noticeable development will be the dual carriageway around the centre of the town. Secondly, the number of new shops and transportation facilities are introduced with a addition of new housing.

Currently the Islip town, a main road runs horizantle through the town centre with the shops located on both side of it. Most of centre of the town's area is occupied by housing, while Park is located at south-east. A school lies in the south west, the countryside is located to the north of the main road. According to the planned development, the main road will be replaced by dual carriageway that form a shape of circle the town centre. The exiting shops will be retained, but the road in front of them will be converted into pedestrians only area. In additional, a bus station, cark park will be contructed to the north of pedestrians roads. Furthermore, a new housing will be constructed in the north east and south west of the center area of the town. The school and park will retained at its same location where it was before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main transformation—the new dual-carriageway loop—and describe several relevant changes, including pedestrianisation and new facilities, so the response addresses the task overall. However, some details are inaccurate or insufficiently precise. The school is south of the centre, but it is not in the south-west as stated; it remains outside the planned loop. The park is not retained in the same location: it is reduced in size and remains inside the loop. The northern shops are replaced by a bus station, shopping centre and car park, but the shopping centre is omitted. The overview also says there will be “new shops,” whereas the southern shops remain and no new shops are shown. Covering these features accurately and distinguishing retained from relocated or replaced areas would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing the current and planned layouts. This gives the reader a coherent route through the information, and phrases such as “Currently” and “According to the planned development” help signal the comparison. However, the final paragraph combines many locations and changes in a long sequence, so some relationships are difficult to follow. For example, the school and park are grouped together as being retained in the same location, although the map shows different outcomes for them. The overview’s “Firstly/Secondly” style is also not fully developed into a clear hierarchy of key changes. Grouping details by north and south, and using clearer contrasts between what remains, is replaced and is added, would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “layout,” “dual carriageway,” “pedestrians only,” “retained” and “constructed,” which helps communicate the planned changes. Some choices, however, are inaccurate or awkward for describing maps: “new shops” does not match the plan, “a shape of circle” is unnatural, and “transportation facilities” is broad where the specific bus station and car park could be named. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “undego,” “commerical,” “horizantle” and “contructed.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and control. Use exact map labels where possible and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “while” and a longer sentence beginning “According to the planned development.” The main meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “The two map illustrate” has a plural agreement error, while “a significant changes” and “a addition” misuse articles and number. In “the main road will be replaced by dual carriageway that form,” the article is missing and the verb does not agree with its subject. The final sentence also needs a passive form: “the school and park will retained.” These errors are noticeable, although they rarely prevent the reader from following the comparison. Check subject–verb agreement, articles and passive constructions, and aim for more consistently accurate complex sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.