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 a 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 port harbour which was connected with two car parks and with one shower area. Now a new showers and toilets are build with them. The existing marina and fishing boats are swapped, 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 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 remain same.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the harbour plans, including the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the expansion of the marina. However, the description of the changes is sometimes imprecise. For example, stating that 'existing old areas are interchanged' is vague and does not accurately describe the specific spatial developments shown. While the overview is present, it lacks a clear, analytical summary of the most significant trends, such as the shift from a public-focused harbour to a more commercialized, private facility. The report identifies key changes but could benefit from more precise comparisons between the two time periods to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Now', and 'Lastly' are used to guide the reader through the changes. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'are build with them', which lacks a clear antecedent. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transition between the description of the harbour's west side and the north-east side could be smoother to improve the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the harbour's features. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'inaugurated' and 'disused', which are appropriate. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'interchanged with each other' (instead of 'reconfigured') and 'shifted into hotel' (instead of 'converted into a hotel'). These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the precision of the report. Expanding the range of descriptive verbs and nouns related to urban development would enhance the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('a new showers and toilets are build', 'a brand new cafes and shops are inaugurated') and tense inconsistencies ('it remain unchanged'). These errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the information. To improve, focus on ensuring that plural nouns match their verbs and that passive voice constructions are formed correctly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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