Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20
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 6.5)
The layout displays Porth Harbour in 2000 and with changes made recently.
Overall, the location has undergone significant redevelopment. It has been transformed from a traditional harbour to an attractive tourist spot with various recreational facilities.
In 2000, Porth Harbour had an entrance to a public beach on the Northeastern side, followed by an area for passenger ferries and a dock towards the left. Towards West, the main road connected to a car parking area, with the showers and toilets facilities just above it and a portion dedicated to private yachts beside them. On Southwest, the main road again connected with a car parking area with fishing boats right next to it. The Southern road led to a lifeboat facility near the ocean. Towards Southeast, there was an abandoned castle with another public beach next to it.
Since then, the harbour has witnessed extensive renovation. The single dock has been introduced with another dock right next to it, and cafes and shops facilities have been added right next to the lifeboat section of the harbour. The fishing boat and private yacht areas have been interchanged, providing more room for the yachts. The barren castle has been transformed into a hotel which is connected with the road, along with a dedicated private beach, which previously used to be a public beach.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The student has successfully covered all main features of the maps comparing Porth Harbour in 2000 and today. The response presents a clear overview noting the transformation into a tourist spot. Key developments—such as the relocation of fishing boats and private yachts, the addition of cafes and shops, the expansion of the dock, and the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel and private beach—are accurately identified and compared. The information is fully supported by details from the visual data, satisfying the requirements for a Band 7.5 or 8.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organised with a clear progression from introduction to overview, followed by the description of the 2000 map and then current changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct parts of the response. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, such as 'In 2000' and 'Since then', guiding the reader through the temporal comparison. However, some referencing and transitional links feel slightly mechanical ('Towards West', 'On Southwest'), preventing the essay from reaching a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'transformed', 'extensive renovation', and 'interchanged'. There are some awkward phrasings or word choices, such as 'barren castle' instead of 'disused castle' or 'cafes and shops facilities', but these minor errors do not impede communication. Less common lexical items are attempted with reasonable success, earning a solid Band 6.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response shows a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'It has been transformed from a traditional harbour to an attractive tourist spot with various recreational facilities.' There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies and slightly unnatural prepositions, for instance, 'The single dock has been introduced with another dock right next to it' and 'towards left'. However, the majority of sentences are error-free and punctuation is well controlled, supporting a Band 6.5 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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