Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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 given maps illustrates the information about the Port Harbour in the year 2000 and it shows some major changes in today's Port Harbour.

Overall, it is clearly mentioned that, some places are remained same in the both maps. The places included, car parking lots, showers and toilets, , public beach, lifeboat and private beach.

To begin with, according to the first map there were mainly 2 entrance gates, which were located in the western part of the map. In first entry gate, there was a car park along with the showers and toilets. Beside this, Marina private yachts and it was in the sea. However, the opposite side of Marina fishing boat was located. In addition to, In the northern part of the map was the public beach and it was attached with the dock yard and the passenger ferries. In contrast, in the bottom of the map the lifeboats were near to the ocean. Moreover, in the South-East corner Castle was observed and near the castle, the another public beach was located.

Furthermore, as per the today's modern Porth Harbour there are several changes, First and foremost, is the expansion of dock yards and there are two dock yards. Secondly, the places of the Marina and fishing boats are replaced with each other. Thirdly there are many updates are observed in the southern part. Cafe and shops are introduced and it is located left side of the lifeboat area. Lastly, the Castle is converted into a hotel and public beach is also converted into the private beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the maps well, identifying key changes such as the expansion of the dockyards, the conversion of the castle, and the addition of new facilities. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it focuses on what remained the same rather than highlighting the most significant trends or transformations. While the task is addressed, the description of locations is occasionally imprecise (e.g., 'bottom of the map' instead of 'southern area'), which limits the clarity of the report. To improve, ensure the overview synthesizes the most striking changes rather than listing static elements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the 2000 map to the modern-day version. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In contrast' are used to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'In addition to, In the northern part'. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs needs more variety to achieve a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the features of the harbour effectively. Words like 'expansion', 'converted', and 'introduced' are used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'The given maps illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'today's modern Porth Harbour' (redundant). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. Expanding the range to include more precise descriptive terms for spatial relationships would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the' is often misused or omitted), subject-verb agreement ('maps illustrates'), and prepositional usage ('in the both maps'). There are also punctuation errors, such as the double comma usage. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the content, they are frequent enough to indicate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would significantly improve the score.

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