Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

These two maps display the porth harbour before and after its redesign.

Overall, Porth harbour underwent a huge transformation over the period. The most noticeable chang was the addition of shower & toilets , cafe & shops , Dock, Hotel and the demolish of disused of castle area.

In 2000, porth harbour had only one shower & toilets, but now there is one extra shower & toilets near the main road. Before redesign it had only one dock but now it has two Docks to park ships. The castle which was disused has been turned into hotel and public beach beside the castle is now a private beach for the hotel.

Fishing boats area and Marina private yachts swapped with each other.One cafe & shops has been added beside the life boat area, which is connected to the main road. Another thing that remained in the same place was the public beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the harbour transformation, including the addition of facilities and the repurposing of the castle. However, the report is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention a 'huge transformation', the description of specific changes is occasionally repetitive (e.g., mentioning 'shower & toilets' twice). To reach a higher band, ensure you group information more logically—for instance, by categorising changes into infrastructure, accommodation, and leisure facilities—rather than listing them sequentially. The summary of the main trends is present but could be more sophisticated to better highlight the shift from a functional fishing port to a more tourist-oriented destination.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the description of the castle and the beach is abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'Fishing boats area and Marina private yachts swapped with each other', which lacks a clear subject-verb connection. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the flow of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'huge transformation' and 'one extra'. There are also some errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'the demolish of disused of castle area' (should be 'the demolition of the disused castle area') and 'one cafe & shops' (which is grammatically inconsistent). To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to urban planning and development, such as 'converted', 'redeveloped', or 'expanded'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally distract the reader. For instance, there are missing articles ('the' castle, 'a' hotel) and inconsistent pluralisation ('one cafe & shops'). The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying heavily on 'there is/are' constructions. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help you achieve a more polished and accurate piece of writing.

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