Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-25

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 7.0)

The map compares the changes occured on Porth harbour from 2000 to present time.

Overall, major modifications have been introduced to the harbour such as modification and introduction new docks, addition of new showers and toilets as well as cafes near the lifeboat dock. The castle has been turned into a hotel.

In 2000, the main road had two entrances for the Porth Harbour, one lead to the northern car park having Marina area for private yachts that also had showers and toilets. Going towards the east of marina there was a single dock and a separate dock for passenger ferries and a public beach to the north of docks. The other entrance led to the southern car park having area for fishing boats. This road also lead to lifeboat. Further ahead there was a castle, which was not being used.

In today's time, place of fishing boat area and marina area was interchanged and new showers and toilets were also constructed. Also a new dock was introduced as well. The Castle is now converted into a hotel along the castle there was a beach for public use but after the hotel started it was exclusively used by hotel guests. New cafes and shops opened near the life boat area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the harbour and provided a clear overview of the changes. You covered the key developments, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the relocation of the marina and fishing boat areas, and the addition of new facilities like cafes and shops. However, the description of the layout could be more precise; for instance, you mention the 'northern car park' and 'southern car park' but do not clearly contrast their positions relative to the harbour's central features. To reach a higher band, ensure that your comparisons are more analytical rather than just listing changes, and provide a more cohesive summary of the spatial shifts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs detailing the changes. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In 2000' and 'In today's time', to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the description of the castle and the beach in the final paragraph is slightly abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'this road', 'the other entrance') is consistently clear would enhance the overall flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'modifications', 'converted', and 'exclusively'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'changes occured on Porth harbour' (should be 'occurred at') and 'In today's time' (a less natural phrasing than 'Currently' or 'In the present day'). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Focusing on more sophisticated synonyms and natural collocations related to map descriptions would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'introduction new docks' (should be 'introduction of new docks'), 'one lead to' (should be 'one led to'), and 'along the castle there was a beach' (which is slightly awkward). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses—ensuring consistency when describing the past versus the present—and check for missing prepositions and articles.

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