Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The provided map illustrates the layout of the harbour in 2000 and its current appearance.

Overall, it can be seen that in 2000, the castle was disused and there was only one dock in the north. In the present-day plan, a hotel, a second dock and passenger toilets have been added.

In 2000, there was a marina in the west for passengers where passengers could park their private yachts and there was a toilet. Also, the fishing boats were considerably larger. Moreover, there was a public beach where passengers could relax and two car parks connected to the main road whereas the castle was disused.

Looking at the present-day plan, there are two car parks that directly link to the main road and two toilets. The marina area has been expanded. Additionally, cafes and shops have been added. However, the old castle was transformed into a hotel which is directly connected to the road and has a private beach, allowing visitors to enjoy the beach. A second dock was added to the eastern side of the harbour.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by identifying and reporting the main features of the harbour in 2000 and comparing them with its current layout. The overview outlines the key changes clearly, noting the addition of the hotel, second dock, and passenger toilets, as well as the transition of the disused castle. Main features such as the marina, car parks, and beaches are compared adequately between both time periods. While some details could be slightly more fully developed to reach the highest bands, the response addresses all requirements of Academic Task 1 effectively and provides clear, relevant comparisons throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response maintains a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. It opens with an introductory statement, followed by a succinct overview paragraph, and then separates the descriptions into distinct paragraphs for the past (2000) and present-day plans. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 2000', 'Also', 'Moreover', 'Looking at the present-day plan', and 'Additionally' are used to guide the reader through the comparison, though some transitions are slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two different time periods, contributing to a coherent overall arrangement.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common items and topic-specific vocabulary are attempted, such as 'disused', 'marina', 'considerably larger', and 'transformed'. There are occasional slight inaccuracies or awkward collocations, such as 'private beach, allowing visitors to enjoy the beach' which feels slightly repetitive, but these do not impede communication. The range of vocabulary allows the student to convey the main features and changes of the harbour with sufficient precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and subordinating conjunctions such as 'where passengers could park their private yachts' and 'whereas the castle was disused'. There is good control over past and present tenses, shifting appropriately between the 2000 layout and current conditions. While there are a few minor structural heaviness issues and occasional clumsy phrasing, the majority of sentences are grammatically sound and errors do not impede communication.

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

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