Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-26

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 diagram illustrates the changes and enhancements made at Porth harbour between two different timelines, in 2000 and today.

Overall, there were many improvements and facilities added at the harbour gaining the public's interests as a tourist spot. In contrast, the amount of management regarding beaches and customer comfort has evolved in an interesting approach.

In 2000 there were two beaches, one at the north east area and other located at south east area where there was a castle to be built as discussed. But today instead of castle, a hotel is overtaken the place while providing the beach facilities only for the hotel. One of the most important update to look at is, compared to 2000 there is an increase in number of dock facilities and passenger ferries.

Car parking is an essential facility for the visitors, there was only one section for showers and toilets in 2000, but today they have added another section. Interesting part is that there is a location swap between marina private yachts and fishing boats and a new stall of cafes and shops is added near the lifeboat area in the southern part of the harbour.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour's transformation, including the addition of the hotel, the expansion of dock facilities, and the relocation of boat areas. However, the overview is somewhat vague, and the description of the 'castle' is inaccurate based on the provided visual (it appears to be a fort or historic structure). While the main trends are identified, the analysis lacks precision in comparing the scale of changes. To reach a higher band, ensure that all key features are described with greater accuracy and that the overview clearly highlights the most significant shifts, such as the transition from a public-focused area to a more commercialized tourist hub.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast', 'One of the most important update', and 'Interesting part is that'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or informal, such as 'Interesting part is that'. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from general changes to specific facility updates.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'enhancements', 'facilities', and 'commercialized'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'a castle to be built as discussed' (which is not supported by the image) and 'a hotel is overtaken the place'. The phrasing 'gaining the public's interests' is slightly unnatural. While the range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score. Expanding the range of descriptive verbs and nouns related to urban development would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'a hotel is overtaken the place' (should be 'has overtaken' or 'has been built'), 'one of the most important update' (should be 'updates'), and 'there was only one section for showers and toilets in 2000, but today they have added another section' (comma splice). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences and improving subject-verb agreement would enhance the grammatical profile.

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