Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-26

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show the layout of a university’s sports centre now, and how it will look after redevelopment.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The maps illustrate the plans for the interior designing of a university sports centre now and following its refurbishment. Overall, the redevelopment will lead to an increment in the area of the sports centre along with the addition of new activity areas.

The sports centre comprises of one main indoor area and 2 outdoor courts, which will be merged into one big centre in the future plan. The reception area is located at the same entry points of the sports centre in both the plans. However, there will be an addition of a sports shop and a cafe on the western and eastern areas of the reception respectively. Changing rooms are added on both sides along with the shop and cafe. The western outdoor court area will be converted into a leisure pool and the eastern will be utilised to form a sports hall and two dance studios on the very right of the plan.

There is a 25m pool located right in the middle of the sports centre which will stay in the same position after the renovation as well, with the seating located on the right and a changing room on the left. The northern most part of the sports centre has a gym, which will also maintain its location, however the area will be increased to include some of the space from outdoor courts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the maps, including the current layout and the proposed changes. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the expansion of the gym and the conversion of outdoor courts into indoor facilities. The overview is clear and sets the tone for the report. However, some descriptions are slightly imprecise; for instance, stating that the outdoor courts will be 'merged into one big centre' is a bit vague compared to the specific changes shown. To reach a higher band, ensure that spatial relationships are described with absolute clarity, as some directional references (e.g., 'very right of the plan') could be more formal and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a logical progression of information. You use cohesive devices such as 'however', 'in addition', and 'on the other hand' effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed descriptions. The flow of information is generally smooth, though some transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the structure is clear and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'refurbishment', 'redevelopment', 'converted', and 'utilised'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'interior designing' (which is usually just 'design' or 'layout') and 'increment in the area' (where 'increase' would be more natural). These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching the higher bands where more precise and sophisticated collocations are expected.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'comprises of' (the verb 'comprise' should not be followed by 'of') and 'at the same entry points' (which is slightly awkward). While there are some errors, they are not frequent enough to cause difficulty for the reader. The use of passive voice to describe the changes is appropriate for this task type. To improve, focus on eliminating redundant prepositions and ensuring subject-verb agreement in more complex sentences.

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

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