Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-13
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 two plans compares Porth harbour in 2000 and modifications made in the present day.
Overall, from the given plans it is clear that an extra dock is added compared to earlier. Cafes, shopes and hotel are established and is now open for tourism.
In 2000 the docks were fewer in number compared with today where number of docks are built, for additional passenger ferries. The castle which was used less is modified into a hotel with a connecting road towards the hotel. The public beach is now converted to a private beach which is for the hotel. Cafes and shops are built today which were absent in 2000.
Furthermore, marina private yachts and fishing boats locations are swiched at the present moment. Extra showers and toilets are constructed. The entrance to the south-western car part is shifted to the other side. The public beach, lifeboat, car park, showers and toilets locations remained the same without any modifications today.
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 successfully addresses the main task requirements by summarising the key changes between the two plans of Porth harbour. The candidate provides an overview stating that the harbour has been modernised and opened for tourism, noting the addition of a new dock and various amenities like cafes, shops, and a hotel. Key comparisons are made, such as the castle being converted into a hotel and the public beach becoming private. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or repetitive in the body paragraphs, and certain descriptions could be further extended to fully capture all spatial changes and comparative features. Nevertheless, all parts of the prompt are covered, earning a solid Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged with a clear overall structure, moving from an introductory sentence and general overview to detailed body paragraphs comparing specific features. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'In 2000', and 'Furthermore', although some transitions are rather mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is generally attempted, though paragraph breaks could be better utilised to separate distinct areas of the harbour. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'is now open for tourism' lacking a clear singular antecedent, but the progression of information remains reasonably easy to follow throughout, corresponding to a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying basic concepts related to maps and geographical changes, such as 'modifications', 'passenger ferries', and 'private beach'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('shopes', 'swiched', 'car part') and awkward collocations ('locations are swiched'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on straightforward terms without demonstrating a strong command of less common lexical items or sophisticated paraphrasing of the prompt, placing this performance at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The candidate attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing past and present tenses to contrast the two time periods ('In 2000 the docks were... compared with today where number of docks are built'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The two plans compares') and article omissions ('number of docks are built'). While these errors are noticeable and require some re-reading, they do not completely impede communication. Punctuation is generally acceptable, supporting an overall grammar score of Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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