Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-05

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 diagrams illustrate the layout of Porth Harbour in the year 2000 and its setup in today's age.

Overall, the land has undergone significant developments. Most notably the dock area was expanded, the disused castle was replaced by a hotel. Moreover, some new places were constructed while, a few were relocated as well.

In the year 2000, the dock area was small but later on, it was expanded. The marina which consisted of private yachts on the upper north-western side was replaced by the fishing boats that was previously located in the bottom south-western area. Adjacent to it was a place for showers and car park connected to the main road which remained unchanged.

On the opposite side, next to lifeboat cafes and shops were opened. Also, the castle at the lower right corner was demolished and a hotel was constructed there. The public beach at the edge was transformed to a private beach. The road which previously connected the lifeboat side to the main road was extended to make a way for the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the harbour, such as the expansion of the dock, the replacement of the castle with a hotel, and the relocation of boat facilities. You have provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between the two time periods. To reach a higher band, ensure that all spatial descriptions are precise; for example, the mention of 'bottom south-western area' is slightly informal. Additionally, ensure that all changes are fully described, such as the specific nature of the new 'places' mentioned in the overview. Overall, the task is well-addressed with a clear summary of the key transformations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information by location and theme. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In the year 2000', and 'On the opposite side' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the sentence structure in the second paragraph could be improved to better link the changes. For instance, the transition between the dock expansion and the marina relocation is a bit abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undergone significant developments', 'demolished', and 'transformed'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'setup in today's age', which is not the most natural phrasing for describing a map. Additionally, 'the lifeboat side' is a bit vague. To improve, try to incorporate more precise geographical or descriptive vocabulary, such as 'redeveloped', 'converted', or 'situated', to better convey the changes shown in the diagrams.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the fishing boats that was previously located' (subject-verb agreement) and 'next to lifeboat cafes and shops were opened' (awkward word order). Punctuation is generally functional, though there is an unnecessary comma in 'while, a few were relocated'. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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