Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-08

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 6.0)

The rendered layout depicts the changes that took place in a harbour from 2000 untill today.

To start with, in the North direction the dock area was expanded, where the passenger ferries are kept ,however, the public beach remain the same over the period. Meanwhile, towards the West part of the map by the main road, the showers, toilets and car park remain intact along with an alteration of marina that got reconstructed as fishing boats area.

Continuing with the changes, in the South, road and the lifeboat section was untouched, on the other hand public beach got converted into private beach for the hotel that was reconstruted from a disused Castle, along with a new construction of cafes and shops by the road. Similarly, in the southwest part of the layout a new shower and toilet area is introduced and the fishing boat area got converted into marina.

Overall, it is seen that several changes took place in the layout of the harbour from 2000 to the peresent day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour changes well. You have successfully identified the key developments, such as the expansion of the dock, the conversion of the fishing boat area, and the addition of new amenities. The overview is present, though it is quite brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that the comparison between the two time periods is more analytical. For example, instead of just listing changes, you could group them by 'additions' versus 'modifications' to provide a more cohesive summary of the transformation. Overall, you have addressed all parts of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with clear paragraphing that separates the different areas of the harbour (North, West, South). You use some cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Meanwhile', and 'Continuing with the changes' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied linking phrases. The progression of ideas is logical, moving systematically across the map, which makes the information easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'reconstructed', 'disused', and 'intact'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the passenger ferries are kept' (a more natural choice would be 'docked' or 'moored') and 'the public beach remain the same' (should be 'remained'). There is also a minor spelling error ('untill' instead of 'until', 'peresent' instead of 'present'). To improve, focus on using more precise verbs and ensuring correct spelling of common words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'public beach remain' instead of 'remained', 'fishing boat area got converted' instead of 'was converted'). The use of 'got' is also slightly informal for an Academic Task 1 report. Increasing the frequency of error-free sentences and using more formal passive constructions would help improve your score in this criterion.

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.