Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-19

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 7.5)

The maps present the changes to Porth Harbour between 2000 and the present day.

Overall, most of the existing structures have remained in their original locations, although several new facilities have been added and some existing buildings have been repurposed, particularly for tourism. The main changes include the relocation and expansion of certain facilities, as well as the construction of new roads, buildings and a second dock.

The showers, toilets and car parks have remained in the same locations. However, the access road leading to the larger car park on the southern side has been relocated to the western side, where it connects to the main road, improving accessibility. A new shower and toilet facility has also been constructed between the two car parks. In addition, the locations of the marina and the fishing-boat area have been interchanged, with the marina now occupying a larger area.

A new building containing a café and shops has been constructed beside the lifeboat station. A new road has also been built to provide access to the disused castle in the southeastern corner, which has been reconstructed and converted into a hotel. Furthermore, the beach beside the hotel, which was previously open to the public, is now restricted to hotel guests.

Finally, a second dock has been constructed immediately next to the existing dock for passenger ferries, meaning that there are now two docks. The public beach in the northeastern corner, meanwhile, has remained unchanged throughout the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response covers all key aspects of the maps, successfully identifying the major transformations that took place between 2000 and today. The overview accurately captures the general trend of stability combined with specific tourism-related additions and repurposing, such as the construction of a new hotel and the swapping of the marina and fishing boats. The candidate reports the main features and makes clear comparisons, such as noting that the marina now occupies a larger area and that the public beach in the northeast remained unchanged. The information selected is entirely grounded in the visual data, and the task is fully and effectively addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The report is logically structured with a clear progression from an introductory overview to detailed body paragraphs discussing specific spatial changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related features, such as amenities and infrastructure in the second paragraph, and major zone swaps and new buildings in the third and fourth paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' are employed naturally to connect ideas without being overly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear and precise, ensuring that the reader easily follows the spatial comparisons between the two time periods.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The candidate demonstrates a wide and flexible vocabulary suitable for describing map changes, successfully employing less common lexical items such as 'repurposed', 'accessibility', 'interchanged', and 'restricted'. Word choices and collocations are generally very natural, as seen in phrases like 'access road leading to the larger car park' and 'disused castle in the southeastern corner'. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies, but overall the lexical range is more than sufficient to convey precise spatial and functional changes with clarity and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The candidate skillfully integrates subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as in the sentence 'A new building containing a café and shops has been constructed beside the lifeboat station.' Control of tense is well maintained, accurately shifting between the past state and present modifications. Punctuation and grammatical structures are handled securely, resulting in a text where the vast majority of sentences are completely error-free and communication is exceptionally smooth.

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