Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-05

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 maps illustrate a gradual transformation of the Porth Harbour from 2000 to its present time.

Overall, there has been a considerable change including remodeling of the former disused castle, privatization of the beach and few minor developments.

In detail, to the east of the main road, showers/toilets and car park was mirrored to south of the once second car park. The former area for resting of ships was replaced by the private yacht marina to provide enlarged capacity. In the eastern peninsula, as discussed former castle was reinvented into a hotel and the beach was privatized. Meanwhile, the usage was specifically limited for the hotel guests. In addition to, cafes and shops were installed near the road along the lifeboat station.

In the northern region, in order to incorporate more resting space for ship, harbour was equipped with one more dock on the west of the passenger ferries. However, passenger ferries and lifeboat station had no change and were in their original position. Throughout the period, many significant changes can be observed in the harbour to go one more gear towards tourism and leisure.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the harbour's transformation, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the expansion of the marina. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with specific details from the maps. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise; for example, when mentioning the car park, you could more clearly contrast its size or location relative to the original. Overall, you have covered the requirements of the task well, providing a logical summary of the changes observed between 2000 and the present day.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that group information by location (east and north). You use cohesive devices such as 'In detail', 'Meanwhile', and 'In addition to' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the phrasing 'In addition to, cafes...' is grammatically awkward. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that referencing is consistently clear would enhance the coherence of the report. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the summary.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'transformation', 'privatization', 'remodeling', and 'reinvented'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'resting space for ship' (should be 'vessels') and 'go one more gear towards' (which is an informal idiom not suited for an academic report). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, these occasional inaccuracies slightly limit the precision of your description. Focusing on more academic collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'car park was mirrored' (should be 'were mirrored' or 'a car park was added'), 'as discussed former castle' (missing article 'the'), and 'In addition to, cafes...' (incorrect prepositional usage). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles when referring to specific features on the map.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.