Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02

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 6.5)

The plans compare Porth Harbour in 2000 with its present-day appearance.

Overall, the harbour has been substantially redeveloped for tourism. The main changes include relocating the marina and fishing boats, adding cafés, shops and a hotel, and making the public beach private. The dock and passenger-ferry area have remained.

In 2000, fishing boats were in the north-west, beside showers, toilets and a car park. The private-yacht marina was further east, while the dock and passenger-ferry area were central. A lifeboat station stood on the southern side near the road, and a disused castle occupied the eastern peninsula.

Today, fishing boats have moved to the marina's former location, while the private-yacht marina is in the south-west. A second car park and showers have been added. Cafés and shops now stand beside the marina. The castle has been replaced by a hotel, while the beach is now private for hotel guests.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all key features of the harbour plans, including the relocation of facilities and the addition of new amenities. However, the response is 149 words long, failing to meet the 150-word minimum requirement. This minor shortfall necessitates a penalty, as the task instructions were not fully satisfied. While the overview is clear and the main features are highlighted, the brevity prevents a more detailed analysis or a more sophisticated synthesis of the changes. To improve, ensure you expand slightly on the descriptions or provide a more detailed summary of the trends to comfortably exceed the word count.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that contrast the 2000 layout with the present day. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'In 2000', 'Today', and 'while' helps to link the information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the time periods. The structure is coherent, and the information is presented in a way that makes the comparison straightforward for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for a report on maps. You use specific terms like 'redeveloped', 'relocating', 'peninsula', and 'disused' effectively. The range is sufficient to describe the changes clearly. While there are no major errors, the vocabulary is functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or varied synonyms to describe the transformation of the area, such as 'undergone significant modification' or 'transformed into a tourist-centric hub'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You demonstrate control over passive voice constructions, such as 'has been substantially redeveloped' and 'have been added', which are essential for describing map changes. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The sentences are well-constructed and flow naturally. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with more complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses to combine information more fluidly.

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

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