Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-28
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)
The provided map illustrates a port harbour in 2000 and how it look in current time.
Looking from an overall, it is readily apparent that the cafes and shops are established in the present time, while the fishing boat spots are replaced by private yachts.
In 2000, the main road continued from north to south, which was located on the west side. The showers and toilets facilities were loacted at nothwest side, which connected with a small car park area, and this connected with the main road. On the downside, the big car park and fishing boats were established on the southern side. The castle was shown on the south-east side. The dock was the only one at northest side.
At present, all the facilities are located in the same spots. However, the marina for private yachts has transformed from fishing boats. In addition, the castle has been replaced by a hotel, which is located on the south side near the private hotel. This hotel was a public facility in the past. The cafes and shops are established near the lifeboat.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The candidate addresses all parts of the task by identifying the main changes between the two maps, such as the addition of cafes and shops and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. An overview is successfully attempted in the second paragraph, highlighting the major transformations. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as stating that 'all the facilities are located in the same spots' while simultaneously noting major swaps between the marina and fishing boats, or referring to 'the private hotel'. The descriptions lack full development in certain areas, particularly regarding spatial relationships and minor features. Nonetheless, a clear general comparison is provided, meeting the core requirements of Task 1 for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is organized into four distinct paragraphs, following a logical progression from introduction to overview, then past features, and finally present changes. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Looking from an overall', 'In 2000', and 'At present'. However, some cohesive phrasing is unnatural, such as 'Looking from an overall' instead of 'Overall' or 'Looking at the overall picture'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, for example, the phrase 'this connected with the main road' creates slight ambiguity regarding the antecedent. Paragraphing is adequate, but the overall logical flow and paragraph transitions exhibit some mechanical patterns typical of a Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common lexical items such as 'transformed', 'disused' (implied through context), and 'facilities'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the text, such as 'how it look in current time', 'fishing boat spots', and 'private hotel' instead of 'private beach for the hotel'. Spelling and word formation are generally acceptable, but the limited precision and recurring awkward phrasing prevent the response from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient to convey the main points without completely impeding communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and past/present tense contrasts (e.g., 'which was located on the west side', 'has been replaced by a hotel'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors in tense consistency and prepositions, such as 'how it look in current time', 'loacted at nothwest side', and 'has transformed from fishing boats' (missing passive voice). Punctuation is generally fine, but errors in verb forms and prepositional collocations occur consistently throughout the essay. These errors do not entirely impede communication, placing the grammatical performance firmly at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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