Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-23

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 two plans illustrate the layout of Porth Harbour in 2000 and how it has been redeveloped today.

Overall, the harbour has become more geared towards tourism, with several new visitor facilities added and the docking area enlarged, while some original features have either swapped locations or been removed entirely.

In 2000, the marina for private yachts stood in the northern part of the site, next to the showers and toilets, while the fishing boats were located further south, near the second car park. Today these two have exchanged places: the fishing boats now sit beside the showers and toilets in the north, and the marina has moved south to where the fishing boats used to be. A second block of showers and toilets has also been constructed next to the lower car park, and a row of cafes and shops now occupies part of the site previously used by the access road, close to the lifeboat station, which itself remains in roughly the same position.

Along the coastline, the dock has been extended from two jetties to three, providing extra mooring space for boats and passenger ferries. The public beach in the north is unchanged, but the second beach to the south, once open to the public, has been converted into a private beach for hotel guests, and a hotel now stands on the headland where the disused castle used to be.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The candidate provides a fully developed and well-structured response that effectively covers all key aspects of the visual data. The overview clearly highlights the main developmental trends, noting the shift toward tourism facilities, the enlargement of docking areas, and the swapping or addition of specific amenities. Key spatial transformations are accurately reported, such as the exchange of locations between the marina and the fishing boats, the addition of new tourist infrastructure like cafés and shops, and the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel alongside a private beach. All data points are correctly interpreted without any noticeable omissions or misreadings.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow, with a clear progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by detailed body paragraphs that systematically contrast the two maps. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the spatial changes (e.g., 'while the fishing boats were located', 'Today these two have exchanged places', 'Along the coastline'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different zones of the harbour, with the first body paragraph focusing on the inner basin changes and the second on the coastal and eastern developments.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The candidate demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range appropriate for an academic report on visual data. Words and phrases are used with precision and natural collocation, such as 'geared towards tourism', 'exchanged places', 'coastal zone', and 'mooring space'. There are virtually no errors in word choice, spelling, or word formation, and the vocabulary employed enables the clear and concise description of complex spatial reconfigurations without repetitive language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The text displays a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The candidate skillfully employs subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and precise prepositional phrases (e.g., 'providing extra mooring space for boats and passenger ferries', 'a hotel now stands on the headland where the disused castle used to be'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout, ensuring seamless readability and precise conveyance of meaning.

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