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 schematic maps compare the changes made in the development of the Porth harbour between 2000 to 2026.

Overall, it is apparent that abandoned castle under went significant development while there have been several new facilities introduced across the period.

The south-east side after a few renovations there has been new hotel established at the site of the place of disused castle and the nearby public beach is now converted into private beach which can only be used by hotel. Furthermore, the dock area has been expanded to increase the number of boats docked at the same time.

On the other hand, there have been new showers and toilets introduced beside the south car park. in addition new cafe and shops are established just next to lifeboat. It is noticeable that the area of fishing boats has been replaced with marina and vice versa whereas the north public beach, lifeboat, north-west car park with showers and toilets remain unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the harbour development well. You have identified the key changes, such as the hotel construction, the expansion of the dock, and the addition of new amenities. However, the overview is slightly underdeveloped; while it mentions 'significant development', it could be more specific about the nature of the transformation (e.g., the shift from a public to a more commercial/tourist-oriented space). The comparison between the two maps is clear, and you have successfully highlighted both the additions and the areas that remained unchanged, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. You use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'in addition' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing and some awkward transitions. For instance, the transition between the south-east side and the new facilities could be smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the paragraphing could be more effectively utilized to group related changes together to improve the overall progression of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'schematic maps', 'renovations', and 'marina'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'place of disused castle' (which is slightly unnatural) and 'the area of fishing boats has been replaced with marina'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on more precise collocations related to urban development and map descriptions, such as 'converted into' or 'transformed into' rather than just 'replaced with'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips throughout the text, such as 'under went' (should be 'underwent'), 'there has been new hotel' (missing article 'a'), and 'in addition new cafe and shops are established' (missing capitalization and articles). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the information. To achieve a higher band, ensure you check for subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, especially when introducing new features on the map.

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

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