Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-17
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 following diagrams highlights two maps of the Porth Harbour back in 2000 and the Porth Harbour of today.
Overall, the harbour has been through various changes which include an additional dock as well as an extra area for showers and toilets. In addition to this, cafe and shops have opened along with many other changes to the harbour.
Detailed analysis of the diagrams showcases the re-modeling of the disused castle into a hotel for tourists. The public beach along the castle has also been converted to private beach for the hotel. The marina for private yatchs and location of fishing boats have switched places with each other. An extra area for showers and toilets have been allocated at the west side of the map between two car parks. Proper roadway has been built that connects the hotel with the road and cafes and shops have been built alongside the road. Furthermore, an addition dock for boats have been built at the north side of the map.
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 student addresses all parts of the prompt by identifying the key changes between the two maps, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the switching of the marina and fishing boats, and the addition of shops, cafes, and amenities. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the main developments. However, some descriptions are slightly informal or imprecise, and the overview could be more comprehensive regarding the overall spatial reorganisation. Overall, the response meets the core requirements of Task Achievement well, earning a band score of 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged logically into three paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and a detailed body paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition to this', and 'Furthermore' are used to guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately, though combining the overview with a more structured introduction or expanding the paragraphing could improve overall flow. Referencing is generally clear, resulting in a solid performance for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for map description, employing terms like 're-modeling', 'converted', 'relocated' (implied by switched places), and 'allocated'. There are a few lexical errors and non-standard word choices, such as spelling 'yachts' as 'yatchs' and 'cafe' instead of 'cafés'. Despite these minor inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main features clearly, corresponding to a band score of 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Detailed analysis of the diagrams showcases the re-modeling...' and 'An extra area for showers and toilets have been allocated...'. There is a subject-verb agreement error ('An extra area... have been allocated' instead of 'has been allocated') and a missing plural in 'cafe and shops'. However, the sentence structures are generally clear and communication is not impeded by these grammatical errors, supporting a band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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