Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-21
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 8.0)
The plans illustrate the changes that have taken place in Porth Harbour between 2000 and the present day.
Overall, the harbour has been considerably modernised, with several facilities added for tourists, while some original features, such as the fishing area and castle, have been replaced or changed. The area has become more focused on leisure and tourism.
In 2000, the western side of the harbour contained two car parks, showers and toilets, a marina for private yachts, and a separate area for fishing boats. To the north-east, there was a dock and a passenger ferry service, while a public beach was located further north. A lifeboat station was situated near the road in the southern part of the harbour, and a castle was found on the south-eastern side.
Today, the harbour has undergone several developments. The fishing boat area has been moved to the north-west, where new showers and toilets have been built, while the previous fishing boat area has been converted into a larger marina for private yachts. In addition, cafés and shops have been constructed along the road near the lifeboat station, providing more facilities for visitors.
Another major change is that the castle in the south-east has been removed and replaced by a hotel. The southern beach area has also become private rather than public. However, the dock, passenger ferries, lifeboat station, main road, and northern public beach have remained largely unchanged. Overall, Porth Harbour has developed from a mainly fishing and transport-based harbour into a more commercial destination.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a thorough comparison of the harbour between 2000 and the present day. An effective overview is included in the second paragraph and restated at the end, identifying the main developmental trends towards leisure, tourism, and commerce. Key features such as the swapping of the marina and fishing boat areas, the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel, the addition of shops and cafés, and the privatisation of the southern beach are all clearly selected and reported accurately based on the visual data. The response meets all requirements for Task Achievement at a high level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The text is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Progression is clear throughout, moving smoothly from an introduction and overview to past features, recent developments, and remaining elements. Paragraphing is used effectively and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the plans. Cohesive devices such as 'In 2000', 'Today', 'In addition', and 'Another major change' are managed well to guide the reader through the spatial and temporal shifts without any mechanical feel or confusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible vocabulary range suited to describing map changes. Less common lexical items and collocations are used effectively, such as 'considerably modernised', 'converted into a larger marina', 'constructed along the road', and 'remain largely unchanged'. Word choice is precise, and there are no spelling or collocation errors that disrupt the flow of reading. The phrasing reflects natural and sophisticated control over topic-specific vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
A wide variety of complex sentence structures is used accurately throughout the response. The majority of sentences are error-free, showcasing excellent control over tense consistency (past simple for 2000, present simple and present perfect for current changes). Examples like 'The fishing boat area has been moved to the north-west, where new showers and toilets have been built' and 'Although the dock... have remained largely unchanged' demonstrate sophisticated grammatical handling with correct punctuation and subordination.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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