Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

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 illustrate how the design of Porth Harbour changed over the decades from 2000 till now.

Overall, harbour have became modernized and included various facilities. In contrast, there are various existing facilities whose position have been changed. However, facilities such as hotel, cafe and shops, and additional dock have been included.

In 2000, on the western side of the map there were two car parking areas and a shower and toilet area. However, today an additional shower and toilet area has been added between two car parking area. Additionally, earlier the entrance of the southern car parking area was from the southern side, but it has been changed to western side connecting the main road. In addition, the position of marina and fishing boats have been interchanged with each other.

On the other hand, there were empty space on the western side of the lifeboat, it has now been utilized for cafe & shops area. Furthermore, in 2000, there was only one dock area for ferry boats, but today an additional dock has been constructed on the western side. Moreover, the castle on the southern side has now been converted to hotel, and public beach near the hotel became the private beach. Nevertheless, the locations of the hotel, public beach, and lifeboat remained unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main features of the harbour, such as the addition of facilities and the conversion of existing structures. You have made relevant comparisons between the two time periods, such as the change in the car park entrance and the conversion of the castle. However, the overview is slightly weak; while you mention modernization, it could be more specific by highlighting the shift from a more public/fishing-oriented space to a more commercial/tourist-focused one. The description of the changes is generally accurate, though some details, like the 'interchanged' position of the marina and fishing boats, could be described with more precision regarding their specific locations on the map.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the sentence 'there were empty space on the western side of the lifeboat, it has now been utilized', which creates a comma splice. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'modernized', 'converted', 'utilized', and 'constructed'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'harbour have became modernized' (should be 'has become') and 'there were empty space' (should be 'there was an empty space'). While you successfully describe the changes, the vocabulary is functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise descriptive language related to spatial changes and development, such as 'transformed', 'reconfigured', or 'expanded'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. These include subject-verb agreement issues ('harbour have became', 'position have been changed') and article usage errors ('the castle... has now been converted to hotel'). There are also some punctuation errors, such as the comma splice mentioned in the coherence section. While you attempt complex structures, the control over these is inconsistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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