Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-28

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 illustration demonstrate the looks of the harbour from 2000 to the present time.

Overall, only few new shops and changing areas are launched, and the existing old areas are interchanged with each other. Disused buildings are now converted for hotel purposes.

Firstly, there was a road on the west side of the porth harbour which was connected with two car parking and with one shower area. Now a new showers and toilets are build with them. The existing marina and fishing boats are swaped, now marina (private yachts) occupy more space than before. On the north-east side, there was a single dock present, now a fresh narrow dock is introduced. Public ferries and public beach are remain same.

Lastly, on the south-east side , the disused castle is shifted into hotel and on its left side the public beach is converted into private beach used by hotel. Also there was a lifeboat, it remain unchanged but on the left side of it a brand new cafes and shops are inaugurated. The road leading towards hotel and lifeboat are remain same.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour plans well. You have successfully identified the key changes, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the expansion of the marina, and the addition of new facilities like cafes and shops. The overview provides a clear summary of the general trends. However, some descriptions are slightly imprecise, such as stating the public beach was converted into a private beach when the plan shows it was replaced by a hotel-related area. To reach a higher band, ensure that all spatial descriptions are accurate and that the comparison between the two time periods is more consistently highlighted throughout the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. You use transition signals like 'Firstly', 'Now', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'are build with them'. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices rather than relying on simple chronological markers. Paragraphing is used appropriately, which helps the reader follow the progression of changes from the west to the east side of the harbour.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'disused', 'inaugurated', and 'converted'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'interchanged with each other' (instead of 'replaced' or 'reconfigured') and 'are build' (a grammatical error affecting lexical accuracy). The phrase 'are remain same' is also non-standard. While you attempt to use more specific vocabulary, the inaccuracies occasionally hinder the precision of your descriptions. Expanding your repertoire of synonyms for 'change' and 'development' would help improve your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('a brand new cafes and shops are inaugurated'), incorrect passive voice construction ('are build'), and tense inconsistencies ('are remain same'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct formation of passive voice, which is essential for describing changes in maps or plans.

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

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