Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Two pictures are depicted here showing an old version of Porth harbour in 2000 as well as the present version after some developments.

Overall, the basic masterplan shape after the development remains almost the same as prior though some functional changes are evident. The major change is an irregular shaped island which was for the public use converted for private and commercial use.

In 2000, access to the bay of the harbour was from the main road which is on the west. There are two entries: one is on the north, and another is on the south. Each entry has a car park at first. There is a public toilet on the north, and a Marina private yachts on the east of the north sided car park. The north-east side of the harbour has a public beach and a dock where the passenger ferries departs from. On the south part of the harbour, there is a fishing-boat-zone beside the car park. the south road penetrates through the island and ends where lifeboat departs from. There is a castle and a public beach on the island.

After development, there are some changes among the previous functions. A public toilet is included on the north of the south sided car park, while the fishing boat zone and the private yachts altered their positions with each other. In addition, one more dock is included beside the previous dock. On the island, some cafes and shops are constructed on the west side of the life boat zone. Additionally, the castle converted into a hotel and the public beach is used for private private purpose of the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key aspects of the task, successfully comparing the layout of Porth harbour in 2000 and today. The student provides a clear overview noting that the master plan shape remained largely the same while functional changes occurred, and highlights major developments such as the swapping of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of cafes and shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel with a private beach. While the mention of an "irregular shaped island" is slightly inaccurate regarding the geographic layout, the main features are appropriately reported and contrasted, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0. Given the solid coverage of spatial shifts and alterations, the response sits comfortably within the Band 6.5 range.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by separate paragraphs for the past layout and current developments. Cohesive devices are generally used to guide the reader through the comparison (e.g., "In 2000", "After development", "In addition"). However, some transitional links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as referring to the harbour area as an "island". Paragraphing is handled well, ensuring a clear overall progression from the historical map to the contemporary version.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting less common terms related to maps and urban planning such as "masterplan", "penetrates", and "functional changes". However, there are some noticeable word-choice inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as "Marina private yachts", "fishing-boat-zone", and "private private purpose". Additionally, minor lexical slips occur, like "departs" instead of "depart". The range is sufficient to convey the main features and changes, but errors in collocation and phrasing prevent it from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ("which was for the public use") and prepositional phrases. Grammatical control is generally fair, though several errors are present, including subject-verb agreement issues ("where the passenger ferries departs") and missing articles or prepositions. Punctuation is mostly acceptable, but occasional awkward phrasing affects fluency. While errors occur, they rarely impede overall communication.

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