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 The castle has been replaced by a hotel, while the beach is now private for hotel guests.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. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the shift toward tourism. However, the response is 149 words, which is just under the 150-word minimum requirement. This minor shortfall impacts the overall task completion score. To improve, ensure you expand slightly on the descriptions of the changes, perhaps by adding a concluding sentence or providing more detail on the spatial relationships between the new structures to ensure you comfortably exceed the word count threshold.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that logically group the information. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the 2000 layout to the present-day changes. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In 2000,' 'Today,' and 'while,' to link sentences and contrast the two time periods. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information is presented in a logical sequence that allows the reader to compare the two maps without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for describing maps, such as 'redeveloped,' 'relocating,' 'peninsula,' and 'disused.' The word choice is generally precise and fits the context of the task well. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the changes clearly. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'moved' or 'added' to enhance the descriptive quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The grammar is accurate throughout the response. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively, such as 'The castle has been replaced by a hotel, while the beach is now private for hotel guests.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no major grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over verb tenses—using the past tense for the 2000 map and the present perfect/present tense for current features—is handled correctly, which is essential for this type of task.

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

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