Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-16
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 illustrates the comparative view of Harbour in 2000 with the current developments.
Overall, the Harbour is developed into more public-friendly place. Addition of cafes & shops, shower & toilets, private beach and modification of unused castle into hotel are the major developments of Harbour over the years.
Shower and toilet facility is added next to the car parking situated at south-western side of Harbour. Fishing boats area is converted to Marina (private yachts) and shifted to old place of Marina. Cafes and shops are added in the development on the road that connects the main road to Lifeboat area.
To make the Harbour public-friendly, the unused castle is converted into hotel. Another key development is the extention of road to hotel and main road is connected to hotel. The public beach on the south-eastern side of Harbour is converted into private beach for hotel. With the addition of these developments, Harbour is now a comfortable location for public to spend a good time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student provides a generally clear summary of the main changes between 2000 and the present day at Porth Harbour. Key transformations are identified, such as the relocation of the fishing boats and marina, the addition of cafes and shops, and the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel with a private beach. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or generalised, such as the claim that the harbour has been developed into a 'more public-friendly place' while simultaneously noting the creation of a private beach, which creates a minor contradiction in the overview. Nevertheless, the main features are adequately selected and compared, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged into a logical overall structure, starting with an introductory overview paragraph, followed by body paragraphs detailing specific spatial changes, and concluding with general remarks. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall,' 'To make the Harbour public-friendly,' and 'Another key development is.' However, paragraphing could be structured more cleanly, and referencing is occasionally repetitive. Paragraphs flow reasonably well, and the logical progression is generally maintained throughout the text, placing it comfortably in the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range. We award a Band 6.5 due to occasional mechanical transitions.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms directly from the prompt and visual data, such as 'Marina', 'Fishing boats', 'Lifeboat', and 'private beach'. There are some awkward phrasings and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'comparative view of Harbour' instead of 'comparison of the harbour' and 'extention' (spelling error). Less common items are attempted with mixed success. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to convey the main message, though vocabulary control aligns with Band 6.0 standards.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as passive voice constructions ('is added', 'is converted') and relative clauses. There are several grammatical errors and missing articles throughout the text, notably 'comparative view of Harbour' (missing article), 'shower & toilets' (singular noun where plural or article is needed), and 'extention of road to hotel and main road is connected to hotel' (awkward coordination and missing articles). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching Band 6.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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