Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-29
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 two plans shows how the Porth Harbour appears today as compared to it was back in 2000.
Overall, Cafes and shops has been introduced, a hotel has been constructed instead of a planned Castle, and Marina and Fishing boats are swapped.
On the west side of Harbour there is main road which is connected to car parks and link road within Harbour. Before it was directed to both car parks directly, but now a small transition made to link one car park through link road. In 2000 there was one Showers and toilets area but now has one more place has been reserved for them. A major change has been made by swapping Marina with Fishing boats.
On the other side, a public beach has been converted into private beach for newly constructed hotel to provide privacy for people staying at hotel. Similarly, On left side of Lifeboat Cafes and Shops are constructed to give more facilities, which were not available back in 2000. On the north east of the harbour there is public beach, passenger ferries. moreover, there was one dock which is now expanded.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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's transformation well. You successfully identified key changes such as the addition of cafes, the hotel, and the reconfiguration of the marina and fishing boat areas. However, the overview is slightly underdeveloped; while it mentions the main changes, it could be more cohesive. Some details, such as the specific location of the 'passenger ferries' or the 'dock expansion', are mentioned but lack clear comparative context regarding their position in 2000. Overall, you have provided a clear summary of the main trends and changes, meeting the requirements of the task effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different areas of the harbour. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the west side', 'On the other side', and 'moreover' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'a small transition made to link one car park'). Improving the flow between sentences would help the progression of ideas feel more natural. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different geographical sections of the harbour.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'constructed', 'converted', 'facilities', and 'reconfigured'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'a small transition made' (which is vague) and 'one more place has been reserved for them'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. To improve, focus on using more specific descriptive language for spatial changes and ensuring that collocations are natural in an academic context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The two plans shows', 'Cafes and shops has been introduced') and article usage (e.g., 'on the west side of Harbour', 'in 2000 there was one Showers'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to pluralization and the correct use of definite/indefinite articles when describing specific locations or facilities.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.