Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-15

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 illustrate the transformations to the layout of a small town center before and after its redesign.

Overall, the Islip town center underwent significant changes, including the addition of a pedestrian-only area, a bus station and a cark park. In addition, main road was converted into dual carriageway, while the school remained unchanged.

Before the development, shops were adjacent to the main road, with two connected paths. The school was situated in south-western side of the center, connected to main road. A park stood at the south-eastern corner corner of the town center. Housing was located in the middle of the center, while the north side of the Islip town center was countryside.

After the redesign, the main road was transformed into a dual carriageway aorund the township and its entrance remained unchanged, while a pedestrian-only zone was built in the middle of the islip center. Shops

on the left side the pedestrian area stayed unchanged, whereas shops on the right side was demolished and new facilities like a bus station, a shopping center and a parking area.In addition, park was shrank and the school stood at same place. Furthermore, Housing was shifted from its original place and new housing was was added one next to the park and second on the north-eastern side of the town.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main transformation clearly: the central street becomes pedestrian-only, new transport and shopping facilities are introduced, and a dual carriageway is added. You also note that the school remains in place and the park becomes smaller. These relevant comparisons support a clear overview. Some details, however, are inaccurate or insufficiently precise: the school was not connected to the main road, and the carriageway forms a loop rather than simply replacing the main road. The description of the shops is also confusing: the southern row remains, while the northern row is replaced by facilities. To strengthen the response further, describe the locations and changes more accurately, including that the school and southern housing lie outside the new loop, and clarify how the housing areas are reorganised.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a sensible overall structure, moving from an overview to the existing layout and then to the planned development. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Before the development,” and “After the redesign” guide the reader. However, some connections are unclear or mechanical. For example, “with two connected paths” does not clearly explain the roads, and the long final paragraph combines several changes without consistently distinguishing north from south or one side from the other. The sentence beginning “Shops on the left side…” is also difficult to follow because its contrast is not clearly framed. Grouping changes by area and using precise references such as “the northern row” and “the southern side” would make progression clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of map vocabulary, including “pedestrian-only area,” “adjacent,” “demolished,” “facilities,” and “transformed.” This is enough to communicate the broad changes, and some choices show an attempt to be precise. At times, however, word choice and collocation are inaccurate or repetitive: “paths” is not a clear description of the roads, “the park was shrank” is not a natural expression, and “cark park” is misspelled. There are also inconsistent forms such as “town center” and “township,” which can make the description less precise. Use standard map terms consistently—for example, “road,” “row of shops,” “car park,” and “was reduced in size”—and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including contrasts with “while” and “whereas,” and most of the intended meaning remains understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless reduce accuracy. Articles and prepositions are missing in phrases such as “in south-western side” and “connected to main road”; agreement is incorrect in “shops … was demolished”; and the passive construction “park was shrank” is faulty. The final paragraph also contains a repeated verb in “new housing was was added,” while “a dual carriageway aorund the township” lacks clear sentence punctuation before the next clause. Practise accurate passive forms (“was reduced,” “were replaced”), subject–verb agreement, and article use. Breaking the longest sentences into clearer units would also help you control punctuation.

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