Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-18

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 map illustrates the structural changes and developements that took place in Porth Habour in 2000.

Overall, the area underwent significant changes, with the opening of new cafes & shops, and an extra Dock. The most noticeable development was the conversion of old castle into a new Hotel with a private beach.

In 2000, the Porth Harbour had a single Dock for passenger ferries which was upgraded and now it has the 2 Docks to carry more passengers. Other than that, new cafes & shops are constructed on the west side of lifeboat. The major developement include the construction of Hotel which is replaced by old castle in the northeast side of Harbour, with a private beach for the hotel guests.

There was a spot for the fishing boats on east side of car park which now allocated to the Marina private yachts. And the fishing boats relocated in the west side of docks bsides showers & toilets. In 2000, there were two car parks, one was connected with main road while the other with a road leads to Lifeboat. Now, both car parks are connected with Main road to provide easy car parking. Moreover, the additional showers & toilets are also constructed besides the Marina (private yachts).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by comparing the two maps of Porth Harbour from 2000 and the present day. A clear overview is presented in the second paragraph, highlighting major transformations such as the addition of cafés, shops, and the hotel replacing the castle. The main features are identified and contrasted adequately, including the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, as well as changes to the car parks and dock. However, there are minor mapping inaccuracies; for instance, the text states that 'the Porth Harbour had a single Dock for passenger ferries which was upgraded and now it has the 2 Docks', whereas the visual shows two separate boat berths at the northern entrance rather than two distinct docks. Nonetheless, the overall response covers the key spatial changes clearly and is well-supported by details from the diagrams.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then detailed body paragraphs discussing specific geographical changes. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the comparisons, such as 'Overall', 'In 2000', 'Other than that', and 'Moreover'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, ensuring that spatial references are grouped by theme or location. However, referencing and transitions are occasionally mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'The major developement include the construction of Hotel which is replaced by old castle', which creates slight confusion regarding directionality and subject-verb agreement. Progression is generally clear throughout the text, though smoother linking phrases would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing map changes, including terms such as 'structural changes', 'conversion', 'relocated', and 'upgraded'. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'developements' (misspelled) and 'construction'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('developements', 'Habour', 'bsides') and some awkward collocations or word choices, such as 'which was replaced by old castle' instead of 'which replaced the old castle'. Despite these lexical limitations and spelling inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main features and comparisons of the maps without impeding general comprehension.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses ('which was upgraded', 'which now allocated') and temporal markers ('In 2000... which now...'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, such as missing articles ('the construction of Hotel', 'old castle'), incorrect passive/active voice choices ('the fishing boats relocated in the west side' and 'which now allocated'), and subject-verb agreement issues ('The major developement include'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but structural errors in complex sentences occasionally cause strain for the reader, placing the response solidly in the band 6 category.

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