Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
The given diagram demonstrate the development of a harbour over a period of 26 years from 2000 to 2026.
Overall, the harbour became more developed with many facilitates being removed or replaced.
On the western side of harbour, showers and toilets between both car parkings is new addition. However, the parking area on the southern side is linking to the main road like the other one. While, the old showers and toilets remained unchanged. The fishing boats have been relocated to the Marina yachts whereas, Marina yachts have been moved to the fishing boats.
On the western side, cafés and shops are constructed opposite to road. While, the location of a lifeboat and a private beach remained the same. The castle on the south-east has been replaced by a hotel. Furthermore, in the north-east, between the boat and a public beach, one more boat has been added in the space of dock. The passenger ferries in the middle remained unchanged.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers the main features of the harbour development, identifying key changes such as the addition of facilities and the relocation of boats. However, the description is occasionally confusing, such as the claim that fishing boats and Marina yachts have been 'relocated' to each other's positions, which is not clearly supported by the visual evidence. While the overview provides a general summary, the report lacks a clear, analytical focus on the most significant transformations. Some details are under-developed, and the spatial descriptions are sometimes imprecise, making it difficult for the reader to follow the exact layout changes. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more accurate and that the most striking changes are highlighted more effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'While', though some are used mechanically or with slight inaccuracy (e.g., 'While, the old showers...'). Referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. The use of paragraphing is appropriate for the task, and the overall structure allows the reader to follow the development of the harbour, even if the internal logic of some sentences is slightly disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes using terms like 'relocated', 'constructed', and 'replaced'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'many facilitates being removed' (should be 'facilities') and 'car parkings' (should be 'car parks'). The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but there is limited use of less common or more precise vocabulary that would elevate the response. The errors in word formation do not impede communication, but they do highlight a need for more attention to standard collocations and terminology.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The given diagram demonstrate') and incorrect article usage ('opposite to road', 'in the space of dock'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are instances of unnecessary commas after conjunctions like 'While'. While the errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of the information. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as well as refining the use of complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.
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