Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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 7.0)

The diagrams given illustrate the plan of Porth Harbour in 2000 and the new design after redesigning.

Overall, numerous new changes have been made to the Porth Harbour since 2000. These include the creation of a new dock, conversion of the castle to a hotel and privatisation of the beach near the castle among many other.

At first glance, it is abundantly clear that back in 2000, the Porth Harbour had a single dock in the north, and a public beach to its right. On the left side of the dock was an area for private yachts called Marina. A car park was situated in the north-west along with an area for showers and toilets just above it. Moving further, in the south-west was another car parking along with a portion dedicated to fishing boats right next to it. The road led up to the lifeboat area. In addition, a public beach was situated to the left of the disused castle.

On the other hand, today, a new dock has been added to the left of the old one though the public beach in the north has remained unchanged. Although the plan of car park and showers and toilets has remained the same in the north-western section, new showers and toilets have been created near the south-western parking lot. The area for fishing boats and private yachts has been interchanged. Moreover, cafes and shops have been set up to the left of the lifeboat. Lastly, the caste has been converted to a hotel and the public beach near it has become a private beach for the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all key features of the harbour plans. You have successfully identified the major changes, such as the new dock, the conversion of the castle into a hotel, and the shift in beach access. The overview provides a clear summary of the transformation. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise; for instance, you mention the fishing boats and yachts were 'interchanged', but describing their specific new locations relative to the original layout would provide more clarity. Overall, the information is well-selected and reported accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the changes. You use cohesive devices such as 'At first glance', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover' to guide the reader through the comparison. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial state from the current state. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is generally clear. To improve further, ensure that the transition between the description of the north and south sections is more seamless to avoid a slightly list-like feel in the second paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'privatisation', 'disused', and 'interchanged' effectively. The language is generally precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are minor issues, such as 'the plan of car park' which is slightly unnatural; 'the layout of the car park' would be better. You also use 'caste' instead of 'castle' in the final sentence, which is a spelling error. Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly and with some flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Although the plan of car park... has remained the same... new showers and toilets have been created'. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar does not impede communication. There are occasional minor inaccuracies, such as 'among many other' (should be 'others') and the missing article in 'the plan of car park'. However, the control of complex structures is generally good, and punctuation is used effectively to manage the flow of information.

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

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