Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06

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 diagram compares the layout of Porth Harbour from 2000 to the present day.

Overall, the plan illustrates some major changes such as docks, showers and toilet options having increased today as compared to 2000. On the south side of the plan, cafes and shops have opened followed by the private beach and hotel.

When comparing the plan from 2000 to today regarding the north side of the plan, some features such as the public beach and passenger ferries have not changed, but now it has 2 dock options. Marina private yachts have become Fishing boats.

On the south side, the Fishing boats changed into a Marina and a new option of showers and toilets has been made. The small roads which follow the lifeboats, some cafe shops are now opened there as well which are not available in 2000. The public beach became a private beach because the Castle now becomes a hotel. The main road on the west side of the plan has not changed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the harbour plans, identifying key changes such as the addition of facilities and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. However, the report is somewhat descriptive rather than analytical. While it mentions changes, it lacks a clear, cohesive overview of the transformation. Some details, such as the 'small roads' and 'lifeboats', are mentioned without sufficient clarity regarding their location or significance. To reach a higher band, ensure that the main trends are highlighted more effectively in the overview and that comparisons are more precise, rather than simply listing changes in a sequential manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'On the south side', 'When comparing'). The progression of ideas is occasionally disjointed, particularly when moving between the north and south sides of the harbour. While the paragraphing is functional, the internal flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to connect the changes described to the original layout in 2000.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. Phrases like 'some cafe shops are now opened' and 'new option of showers and toilets has been made' are functional but basic. There is some repetition of simple verbs such as 'changed' and 'opened'. To improve, the student should aim for more sophisticated collocations and descriptive language appropriate for describing maps, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'expanded', or 'redeveloped'. The current range is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'some cafe shops are now opened there as well which are not available in 2000' (tense inconsistency) and 'the Castle now becomes a hotel' (should be 'has become'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The student should focus on maintaining consistent verb tenses when describing past and present states and ensure that relative clauses are constructed accurately to improve the overall flow and grammatical control.

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

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