Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The plans compare the layout of Porth Harbour in 2000 with its current appearence.
In 2000, the western side of harbour contained yatches, a fishing boat area, two car parks and one block of showers and toilets beside the main road. To the east, there was a dock serving passenger ferries, while a public beach occupied in northen side. At the southrn end, a disused castle stood next to a public beach, with lifeboat station located nearby.
Today, a number of significant changes can be seen. A second block of showers and toilets has been constructed on the western side, and the fishing boat area has been relocated to the north of marina. A new compex of cafes and shops has been built between the marina and the lifeboat station. Furthermore, an extra pier has been added, allowing more boats to use the harbour, although the passenger ferry service and the dock remain in the same location. The most noticeable redevlopment has occured in south-east, where the castle has been replaced by a hotel. In addition former public beach in this area has been converted in to private beach only for hotel guests.
Overall, the harbour has been mordenised to attrect more tourists.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively covers the requirements of the task by identifying the main features of the harbour in 2000 and comparing them to the current layout. You have successfully highlighted key changes such as the relocation of the fishing boat area, the addition of the pier, and the transformation of the castle into a hotel. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall trend of modernisation. To reach a higher band, ensure that all spatial references are precise; for example, you mention the 'fishing boat area has been relocated to the north of marina', but the map shows it moved to the north-west. Overall, the information is well-selected and reported accurately.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The response is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs detailing the changes, and a concluding overview. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'although' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the description of the past from the current developments. The progression of information is easy to follow, and the referencing is generally clear. To improve further, ensure that your transitions between sentences are even smoother to avoid a slightly mechanical feel in some parts of the description.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'modernised', and 'relocated' appropriately. There are some spelling errors, such as 'appearence' (appearance), 'yatches' (yachts), 'northen' (northern), 'southrn' (southern), 'compex' (complex), 'redevlopment' (redevelopment), and 'attrect' (attract). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on accuracy in spelling and ensuring correct word forms will help you achieve a higher band in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The most noticeable redevlopment has occured in south-east, where the castle has been replaced by a hotel.' There are some grammatical slips, such as 'occupied in northen side' (should be 'occupied the northern side') and 'converted in to private beach' (should be 'converted into a private beach'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are minor omissions of articles (e.g., 'to the north of marina' should be 'to the north of the marina'). The errors present do not cause difficulty for the reader, and the meaning remains clear throughout.
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