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 diagrams illustrate the look of the Porth harbour in the past and the current version of that of the same harbour.
Overall, some new establishments can be noticed over the present setup, whereas, an old disused castle is converted into a hotel with a private beach which was accessible to all earlier.
In 2000, there were two public beaches between which the south one has got transformed into a private beach. The anchoring areas for the fishing boats and marina are being interchanged in the current day. Rest of the transports, such as passenger ferries and lifeboat remain in the same place like before.
On the contrary, in the present time, the number of docks are being doubled. Similar thing can be observed for showers and toilets which is established to the north of the southmost car park. On the left of the lifeboat station, cafes and shops are built for the visitors. Lastly, the narrow road which used to go up to the water body is now being linked to the hotel but, disconnected from the car park which is currently connected directly to the main road.
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 task by identifying and reporting the main features and changes between the two maps of Porth Harbour. A clear overview is provided, highlighting key transformations such as the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel, the swapping of the marina and fishing boats, and the addition of new facilities like cafés, shops, and showers. However, some minor details are slightly imprecise or under-developed, such as describing the docks as being 'doubled' when the visual data actually shows an additional jetty and two berthed boats. Overall, the response successfully covers the prompt's requirements with a relevant selection of features.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The text is logically organised into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific spatial changes. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the comparisons, such as 'In 2000', 'On the contrary', and 'Lastly'. However, paragraphing could be structured more effectively, and some transitional phrases feel slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'Rest of the transports'. Referencing between sentences is generally clear, but occasional clunky transitions prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing maps and spatial changes, including terms like 'establishments', 'transformed', 'interchanged', and 'anchoring areas'. There are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'the look of the Porth harbour', 'the current version of that of the same harbour', and 'Rest of the transports', which reveal a limited flexibility in lexical control. Spelling is accurate throughout, but vocabulary remains somewhat basic or slightly unnatural in places.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating passive voice constructions such as 'is converted into a hotel', 'are being interchanged', and 'are built'. There are several grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing instances, such as 'the south one has got transformed', 'marina are being interchanged in the current day', and 'the number of docks are being doubled' (subject-verb agreement error with 'number of'). Despite these errors, meaning is generally clear and communication is not severely impeded.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.