Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-04

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 maps illustrate the changes that occurred in a harbour in two periods: 2010 and now.

Overall, different facilities are added in the current condition of harbour in the form of a cafe, hotel, and others, as well as a public beach shifted to a private beach adjacent to the hotel.

In 2010, there was one dock for ships and two passenger ferries for visitors. On the western side of the dock, there was a marina for private yachts and showers and a car park right next to it. Additionally, in front of the car park, there was another car park, while both car parks were connected to the main road on the western side. Moreover, there was a disused castle on the southeastern corner of harbour with a public beach adjacent to it.

Currently, one dock is shifted to two docks as well, and ferry increases from two to three.

In addition, marina for private yachts and fishing boats reshuffled their positions. Furthermore, there is an addition of showers and a toilet area on the western side of Marina, and some amenities in the form of cafe and shops are constructed on the eastern side of Marina. In the end, the castle is transformed into a hotel with a walkway that connects the hotel with the road. The public beach adjacent to the hotel changed into private beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the maps, including the expansion of the dock, the addition of amenities, and the transformation of the castle. The overview clearly highlights the main trends, such as the shift from public to private facilities and the addition of new infrastructure. However, there is a minor inaccuracy in the introduction regarding the dates (the prompt mentions 2000, but the student writes 2010). Despite this, the main features are well-selected and reported, and the comparison between the two time periods is consistent throughout the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the past and present respectively. The progression of ideas is clear, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' helps to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise in places, such as the description of the car parks. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the information is presented in a coherent manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is sufficient for the task. The student uses relevant terms such as 'amenities', 'transformed', 'adjacent', and 'reshuffled'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate, there are some slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'ferry increases' (should be 'the number of ferries increased') and 'in the end' (which is more suitable for a narrative than a report). The student demonstrates a good attempt at using varied vocabulary to describe the changes, which is appropriate for this level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical errors, such as 'ferry increases from two to three' (missing articles and subject-verb agreement) and 'one dock is shifted to two docks as well' (slightly awkward phrasing), these do not impede communication. The use of passive voice is appropriate for describing changes in a location. The majority of the sentences are clear, and the punctuation is generally accurate, though some minor errors persist.

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

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