Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-23

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 maps represent a harbor in 2000 and its look today.

Overall, it can be seen that while the harbor maintained most of it original outlook, there were significant introductions such as the hotel, cafes and shops as well as more docks.

In 2000, the harbor was accessed from the main road at its west side. Two car parks were situated to the west and southwest areas of the harbor that were accessed through the major road and the internal road, respectively. The internal road led to the central area of the harbor where the lifeboat is located right before the sea which is the passenger ferries. Up the northeast corner is the public beach and towards the northcentral is a dock. The showers and toilet lies at the extreme northwest, after the car park. Beside the toilet is the Marina. A disused castle is located at the southeast corner.

Presently, while most of the features remained unchanged, the unused castle was converted into a hotel and the public beach next to it made private for the hotel. More docking areas were built

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, identifying key changes such as the hotel conversion and the addition of docks. However, the report is incomplete. The final paragraph ends abruptly, failing to describe the full extent of the changes, such as the removal of the beach or the addition of the new shops and cafes mentioned in the introduction. To reach a higher band, you must ensure all significant features mentioned in your overview are fully described in the body paragraphs. The summary of the 2000 map is detailed, but the description of the current map is underdeveloped and lacks sufficient detail to fully satisfy the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression from the overview to the 2000 map and then the current map. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 2000', 'Presently', and 'while', which help guide the reader. However, the abrupt ending of the final paragraph disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the response. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of completion in the final section makes the overall structure feel unfinished. Improving the balance between paragraphs and ensuring a complete conclusion would enhance the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'maintained', 'significant introductions', 'converted', and 'disused'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'its look today' (which is slightly informal) and 'northcentral' (which is not standard terminology). You attempt to use some less common vocabulary, but the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more precise geographical and descriptive language, such as 'situated in the northern sector' or 'underwent a transformation'. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'most of it original outlook' (should be 'its'), 'showers and toilet lies' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'the public beach next to it made private' (missing auxiliary verb). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall accuracy. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice constructions when describing changes to the harbor. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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