Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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 6.5)

The given diagrams illustrate a harbor named Porth Harbor in the year 2000 and today.

Overall, the harbor has developed more commercially with added facilities such as cafes, shops, hotel and many more.

The outline and structure of the harbor remains the same with same location of the road and few tranformations.

There is an addition of showers and toilets in between the car parks which is located at the north west region. Marina (private yachts) and fishing boats that were on the right side of the car parks have now been switched with each other today.

Public beach, passenger ferries and duck remains almost identical with recent map however, there is an addition of another dock.

Previously, the south east part of the harbour only consisted of lifeboat, public beach, and a disused castle. Now, the same disused castle is rebuilt into a hotel. Alongside, there is an addition of various cafes and shops just on the left of the lifeboat and the public beach is now for the hotel and its stakeholders only.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the harbor's transformation. You provided a clear overview and highlighted key changes, such as the addition of commercial facilities and the repurposing of the castle. However, the description of the spatial changes could be more precise. For example, stating that the marina and fishing boats 'switched' is a good observation, but the report would benefit from more specific directional language to guide the reader. You covered all parts of the task well, though some details, such as the 'duck' (likely referring to the dock), were slightly unclear in their description. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements for a clear summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, moving from a general overview to specific changes in the north-west and south-east sections. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction and overview from the body details, which aids readability. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Previously' and 'Now', which help establish a clear timeline. However, the transition between sentences could be smoother; some sentences feel slightly disconnected. For instance, the jump from the car park description to the public beach could be better linked. Overall, the information is easy to follow, and the progression of ideas is logical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'commercially', 'transformations', and 'rebuilt'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'duck' instead of 'dock' and 'stakeholders' which is slightly imprecise in this context. While you successfully describe the changes, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to urban planning or geographical changes, such as 'undergone significant redevelopment' or 'repurposed into'. The current range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly without significant error.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'remains the same with same location' (should be 'the same location') and 'which is located' (should be 'which are located' to agree with 'showers and toilets'). Despite these minor errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the punctuation is generally correct. You have used a variety of structures, including relative clauses, which shows a good level of control. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve the accuracy of your writing further.

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

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