Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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 plots illustrate the layout of a harbour in 2000 and current time.

Overall, the harbour undergo a great modifications and it becomes more modernized. Several amenities like cafes, shops, and hotels have been built at the coastline of the harbour.

In 2000, the main road was on the west side and one car park, showers and toilets were on the north part. Opposite to them there was a marina. In the south direction there was another car parking facility and fishing boats were park beside to it. Public beach, lifeboat and castle could be reached through a road that connected to main road.

On the other hand, the plan of the harbour has completely changed. The number of docks, showers and toilets has become double. Instead of marina there is fishing boats parking and vice versa. Cafes and shops are opened near to the lifeboats. The castle is replaced with hotel. Further, passenger ferries and another public beach remain same as 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the harbour and provided a clear comparison between the two time periods. You covered the key changes, such as the addition of amenities and the reconfiguration of the marina and fishing boat areas. However, the report could be improved by being more precise with spatial descriptions. For instance, stating 'the number of docks... has become double' is a good attempt at quantification, but ensure your descriptions of locations (e.g., 'north part' vs 'west side') are consistently accurate to help the reader visualize the changes. Overall, you have addressed all parts of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that separate the two time periods or specific features. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In 2000', 'On the other hand', and 'Further', which help guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences could be smoother. Some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more balanced to ensure a better progression of ideas. Referencing is generally clear, but ensure that pronouns or spatial markers consistently point to the correct location to avoid any ambiguity for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, including terms like 'amenities', 'modernized', 'reconfigured', and 'passenger ferries'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the harbour undergo a great modifications' (should be 'has undergone significant modifications') and 'fishing boats were park' (should be 'parked'). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, these slips prevent a higher score. Focusing on accurate verb forms and collocations will help you achieve a more professional and precise tone in your future writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'the harbour undergo' (subject-verb agreement), 'at the coastline' (preposition choice), and 'remain same as 2000' (missing article 'the'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and tense issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score. Increasing your control over basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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