Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The maps illustrate the current layout of Porth harbor and how it looked in 2000. Overall, the harbor has been modernized since 2000, with several new developments aimed at attracting visitors, including hospitality and commercial facilities, private services and increased capacity for passenger ferries.
In 2000, the western side featured a main road running north to south, providing access to two car parks: one in the northwest with its own showers and toilets, and another to the south, which could be reached via a side road that led to a lifeboat station. Near the upper car park stood a marina for private yachts; directly to its south was an area used by fishing boats. On the eastern side, a dock served passenger ferries, with a public beach to the north, and further south, a disused castle stood on the headland, beside another public beach.
Today, the southwest car park has been upgraded with its own shower-and-toilet facilities, and the marina and fishing area have swapped places. A row of new cafes and shops was constructed beside the lifeboat station, while the abandoned castle has been converted to a hotel, and the public beach beside it has been turned into a private beach for guests. A new dock has been constructed near the existing one, and both the northern public beach and the northwest car park remain unchanged.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The candidate has provided a very strong response that covers all key features of the two maps. The overview clearly highlights the main developments, noting modernization, new hospitality and commercial facilities, private services, and changes to the harbor infrastructure. In the body paragraphs, the student effectively contrasts the layout of Porth harbor in 2000 with its current state, accurately reporting the swapping of the marina and fishing areas, the addition of new cafés and shops, the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel, and the modifications to the docks. All visual data is reported accurately with no notable omissions or misinterpretations, fully satisfying the requirements for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The response is exceptionally well-organized and easy to follow. The introduction clearly sets out the purpose of the maps and provides a concise overview. The body paragraphs follow a logical progression, contrasting the past layout with the present arrangements in a structured manner. Cohesive devices such as 'In 2000', 'Today', 'while', and 'directly to its south' are used naturally and appropriately to guide the reader through the spatial changes. Paragraphing is used logically, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the overall comparison.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.5
The vocabulary used throughout the response is varied, precise, and entirely appropriate for an academic task describing spatial changes. The candidate successfully employs less common lexical items and collocation patterns such as 'modernized', 'swapped places', 'converted to a hotel', and 'harbor infrastructure'. Word choices are accurate, and phrasing flows naturally, demonstrating a flexible control of vocabulary. There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors that detract from the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The response exhibits a wide and natural range of sentence structures, mixing complex and compound forms effectively. Examples include relative clauses ('a main road running north to south...'), passive constructions ('has been modernized', 'was constructed', 'has been converted'), and subordinate clauses indicating temporal and spatial relationships. The vast majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control over tense usage—shifting appropriately between past simple for 2000 and present perfect for current changes—is excellent. Punctuation is accurate throughout.
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