Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-03
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 gives information about the outlook comparison of a harbour through map between the year 2000 and the present year.
Overall, the plan showed major developments and upgradation of the Porth harbour. Old structures developed into new places.
It is quite evident from the given map that in 2000, there was only one dock and now there are two docks for boats. There were two passenger ferries in the past but now one more boat has been added. The place of marina yachts and fishing boats has been replaced each others place in these years. Public beach, showers and toilets and car parking has been at the same place without any changing.
Furthermore, from the second entrance of the main road, there is a car park which is intact at its same place. Their is an advancement of showers and toilets in the north side of car park. Cafe and shops are opened now along the road towards lifeboat. There is a major changing that castle which was not in any use has developed into hotel. The public beach in the south-west side of hotel has turned into a private beach.
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 docks, the conversion of the castle into a hotel, and the development of new amenities like cafes and shops. However, the report could be improved by grouping information more logically rather than listing changes sequentially. While you mention that the public beach became private, you missed the opportunity to highlight the overall shift from a more industrial/fishing-focused harbour to a more tourist-oriented facility. The summary is clear, but the analysis of the 'main features' could be more synthesised to provide a stronger overview of the trends observed between 2000 and the present.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'Overall'. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the description of the docks and the amenities is somewhat abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but some sentences feel like a list of observations rather than a cohesive narrative of change. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the progression of ideas feels more natural and less like a series of isolated points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'upgradation', 'intact', and 'amenities'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'outlook comparison' is not a standard phrase in this context, and 'replaced each others place' is grammatically awkward. The use of 'upgradation' is also less common than 'upgrading' or 'modernisation'. While your vocabulary is adequate to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Focusing on more natural collocations for describing map changes would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'Their is an advancement' (should be 'There is'), 'major changing' (should be 'major change'), and 'without any changing' (should be 'without any change'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'The place of marina yachts and fishing boats has been replaced each others place'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the information, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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