Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-27
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 two layouts illustrate that how the Porth Harbour looks looked like in 2000 and how it looks like the present day.
Overall, it is quite clear that there are significant changes made in the porth harbour and renovations are made in fishing boats area, dock terminals increased, area for marina, cafes and shops build and a castle on the south east side turned into hotel as well.
Firstly, in 2000 as main road on the west of the harbour three were two entry points both linked to the car parking. The entry point on northern side showers and toilets and area for marina was there net to that single dock for passenger feries and after that public beach was located. On the southern entrty after car parking there follows fishing boat place as road upward life boat and a castle which is not in use was located.
In present, bothe entry points remain the same bur on the northern entry fishing boats area shifted to marina vice versa. Now there are cafes and shops on the southern entry road and castle which was abandoned turns to a hotel. it is clear that more facilities are now available at the place.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| 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 harbour in 2000 and the present day. You have identified key changes, such as the relocation of the fishing boat area, the addition of cafes and shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. However, the description of the layout is sometimes confusing, particularly when describing the locations of the entry points and the marina. To improve, ensure that your spatial descriptions are precise and easy for the reader to follow. You have successfully highlighted the main trends, but some details could be more clearly linked to the visual evidence provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the past to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate, such as 'after that public beach was located' or 'road upward life boat'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track exactly where certain features are located in relation to others. Improving the use of linking words and spatial prepositions (e.g., 'adjacent to', 'situated on the northern periphery') would significantly enhance the flow and logical progression of your report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'renovations', 'terminals', and 'abandoned'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'showers and toilets and area for marina was there net to that' and 'fishing boat place'. Some of these errors, combined with spelling mistakes like 'bothe' and 'feries', slightly impede the clarity of the description. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing maps and ensuring accurate collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'illustrate that how the Porth Harbour looks looked like', 'renovations are made', and 'castle which was abandoned turns to a hotel'. These errors, particularly with verb tenses and article usage, are noticeable. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these slips prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage (past for 2000, present for current) will help improve your accuracy.
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