Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-30

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 maps illustrate the changes that took place in Porth Harbour between the year 2000 and the present.

Overall, the area underwent significant changes including many tourist spots were constructed and the expansion of the dock. While some features like the main road, the public beach in the north remained unchanged, several new facilities including cafes, shops and a hotel were added and some existing features such as fishing boats were replaced.

In 2000, Porth Harbour consisted of car parks, a Castle and a dock. The car parking was located in the west of the harbour connecting to the main road, while the castle was situated in the south beside the public beach. In addition, the dock was located in the north.

Currently, the area has changed considerably. The Castle was replaced by a hotel, while the public beach was converted into a private beach under the management of the hotel. Furthermore, cafes and shops were constructed in the middle of the harbour. However, the lifeboat remains in the same location.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons between the 2000 and present-day maps of Porth Harbour. A clear overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting major developments such as the construction of tourist facilities, the hotel, and the reconfiguration of the marina and fishing boat areas. Specific details, including the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel and the conversion of the public beach into a private one, are accurately captured and supported by the visual data. The response meets the core requirements of Task Achievement well, though the organization of specific spatial details could be slightly more polished.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text is logically organized into four paragraphs, moving from an introduction and overview to specific descriptions of the past and present layouts. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'While some features', 'Furthermore', and 'However'. Paragraphing is appropriate, separating the overview from the chronological details. However, the progression between some sentences feels slightly disjointed, and referencing could be smoother, particularly when transitioning between the historical and current states. Overall, the essay maintains a clear logical flow and is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, successfully employing terms such as 'reconfigured', 'constructed', 'converted', and 'situated'. There are occasional awkward phrasings or minor inaccuracies, such as 'the car parking was located' instead of 'the car parks were located'. Less common lexical items are attempted with general success, though the range remains somewhat standard for a Band 6.5 level. Spelling is accurate throughout the response, and vocabulary choices do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, utilizing subordinate clauses effectively ('While some features like the main road... remained unchanged, several new facilities... were added'). Grammatical control is generally good, with frequent error-free sentences, particularly in describing past states. Minor errors do occur, such as the tense and clause structure slip in the overview sentence ('including many tourist spots were constructed'), but these errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the intended meaning.

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