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 diagrams show how a porth harbour looked in 2000 and how it is looking in today's time.

Overall, many of the things remain unchanged. They have added new shops and section for public to visit. They swapped some of the sections and along with that, they used free spaces.

In 2000, they had a one widened dock, but now they separated that into 2 medium widened docks. They interchanged 2 sections, like the marina(private yachts) into fishing boats and fishing boats into marina. There were 1 showers and toilets section with two car parks on the left side of harbour, but now they added 1 more showers and toilets section. Previously, there were no cafe and shops along with the lifeboat, but now it is there alongside the road. In the past, they had a castle which were disused but now it is transformed into a hotel with newly constructed path to the main road. Behind the castle, there was a public beach, but today this location is used by the hotel as a private beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the harbour, such as the changes to the docks, the conversion of the castle, and the addition of new facilities. You provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between the two time periods. To reach a higher band, ensure you avoid vague phrasing like 'many of the things remain unchanged' and instead focus on specific, quantifiable changes. Additionally, ensure your overview highlights the most significant transformations, such as the shift from a public to a private beach, which is a key detail that demonstrates a deeper understanding of the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by theme. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In 2000' and 'but now', to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences can feel a bit mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly. For example, instead of starting several sentences with 'In the past' or 'now', try integrating these time markers into more complex sentence structures to improve the overall progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'transformed', 'constructed', and 'disused'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'widened dock' (which is not standard terminology for harbour infrastructure) and 'in today's time'. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to maps and urban development. For instance, instead of 'widened dock', consider using 'extended pier' or 'divided dock area'. Expanding your range of collocations will help you convey your ideas with greater precision and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'there were 1 showers' (subject-verb agreement) and 'which were disused' (referring to a singular noun 'castle'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'how it is looking in today's time'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing your control over complex sentence structures while minimizing these recurring errors will significantly enhance your grammatical accuracy and range.

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

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