Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11
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 two diagrams compare the layout of a harbour as how it was in 2000, and how it looks today.
Overall, it can be seen that there are significant changes with new amenities today, such as disused castle removed with hotel along with its private beach, which was public beach before. There are cafes and shops and extra place for showers and toilets. Fishing boats are switched with marina (private yachts).
In 2000, Porth Harbour had a one showers and toilets space with car parking in its northwest side with the main road; after that it had a place for a marina ( private yachts from north and fishing boats from south. From the southwest, there was a road ran towards life boat with the car parking in its starting. There was a disused castle in its southeast side and public beach in its south edge. There was a public beach in its north.
Today, it is significantly changed with new facilities of cafes and shops from south with the road towards life boats, and the castle is replaced by hotel with its private beach. There was extra place for showers and toilets with the car park in its west. There is a switch in places of fishing boats and marina with each other from before.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the harbour in 2000 and today, identifying key changes such as the hotel, the marina, and the new amenities. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main features are identified, the comparison is occasionally confusing, such as the statement that the fishing boats and marina 'switched' places, which is not entirely clear from the provided text. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant trends (e.g., the transition from a functional fishing harbour to a more commercial/tourist-oriented facility) rather than just listing changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
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 repetitive and occasionally awkward, such as 'after that it had a place for a marina' and 'there is a switch in places'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track the location of specific features. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns or references clearly point to the intended subject would significantly improve the flow and logical progression of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a reliance on basic phrasing, such as 'there are' and 'there was', which makes the writing feel repetitive. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'extra place for showers' instead of 'additional facilities' or 'amenities'. While the student successfully uses terms like 'amenities', 'marina', and 'disused', the overall range is limited. To improve, the student should focus on using more descriptive verbs and precise nouns to describe spatial changes and developments.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'a one showers and toilets space', 'a road ran towards life boat', and 'the castle is replaced by hotel'. Articles are frequently misused or omitted, and there are issues with prepositional usage and subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on article usage and consistent tense control would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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