Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The plans below show a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 6.5)
The given maps illustrates a comparative analysis of development that has taken place over the years in Porth Harbour.
Overall, the maps corroborates that their are several development that has taken place till now. The city area has faced some drastic changes over the years.
Commencing with the Northern part, the dock has been increased to two from one in 2000. Just beside the Dock, on the western side Marina for private yachts has been replaced by fishing boats. Both Marina for private yachts and fishing boats has swaped with each other. Also,The route to car park has changed from Road to Main road.
Beside these developments, showers & toilets has been constructed just above car park. The cafés & shops are opened on the left hand side of lifeboat. The area in which disused castle was there in 2000 has been converted in hotel and the beach which was public earlier has now been transformed into private beach.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the increase in docks, the changes to the marina and fishing boat areas, and the addition of new facilities like the hotel and toilets. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends, such as the overall modernization and commercialization of the harbour. While the key changes are identified, the description of the 'swapping' of the marina and fishing boats is slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview highlights the most striking transformations rather than just stating that changes occurred.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific areas of the harbour. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Commencing with' and 'Beside these developments', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to create a more cohesive narrative. The paragraphing is appropriate for a report of this nature, and the progression of information from the northern part to the other facilities is logical.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes effectively. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'corroborates' and 'transformed'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'swaped' (spelling error) and 'The route to car park has changed from Road to Main road', which is slightly imprecise. The range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but more precise terminology related to map description (e.g., 'situated', 'adjacent to', 'redeveloped') would enhance the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement, such as 'maps illustrates', 'there are several development', and 'showers & toilets has been constructed'. These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some minor issues with capitalization and spacing. To improve, the student should focus on ensuring that verbs agree with their subjects and refining the use of articles.
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