Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02

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 layouts illustrate a harbour in 2000 and how it changes and looks nowadays.

Overall, it was used mainly for commercial purposes but now it has been transformed in a tourist attraction. Some spots have been totally changed such as the disused castle and its nearby public beach, while some areas have been replaced by each other like fishing boats and the marina.

In 2000, there were restrooms and a car parking in the east and a marina in front of these used for yachts. There was a large public beach in the northeast corner with a small dock area used for passenger ferries. A disused castle with a small public beach was located in the southeast direction.

Today harbour has been become a recreation point. The dock area has increased and fishing boats and the marina has been replaced with one another and new toilets has been made with car parking on the southwest side. The disused castle has entirely demolished and converted into a hotel with a private beach mainly for the hotel guests. New cafes and shops have been made near a road leading towards hotel and lifeboat.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the harbour in 2000 and describing the significant changes visible today. An overall trend is provided, noting the transition from a commercial orientation to a recreational one, and key transformations such as the replacement of the fishing boats and marina are mentioned. However, some aspects of the task are only partially developed or lack precision. For instance, the exact locations of certain elements are occasionally vague, and some features like the expansion of the dock and the addition of the second car park area are described in a somewhat generalised manner. To reach a higher level, the response would need to extend the discussion of key spatial developments with greater clarity and more thorough supporting details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into introductory, overview, and body paragraphs that separate the two time periods. Progression is generally logical, moving from the past layout to the contemporary changes. However, referencing and cohesion are at times mechanical or somewhat faulty. For example, expressions like "Today harbour has been become" and the repetitive use of simple transitional links show a reliance on basic cohesive devices. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion within sentences could be smoother to establish clearer relationships between spatial shifts. Improving the variety and accuracy of cohesive devices and ensuring seamless referencing would elevate the organisational quality of the writing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

An adequate range of vocabulary is used to accomplish the task, with appropriate references to geographical and structural features such as "marina," "passenger ferries," "lifeboat," and "disused castle." The writer makes attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as "transformed," "recreation point," and "demolished," though these are accompanied by some lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as "Today harbour has been become" and "car parking" instead of car park. Spelling is generally accurate, but occasional errors in word formation and collocation persist. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to expand the range of precise vocabulary and demonstrate a more natural control of less common lexical items and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, attempting structures like "Some spots have been totally changed such as... while some areas have been replaced..." There are several noticeable grammar errors in verb forms, voice, and subject-verb agreement, such as "has been become," "fishing boats and the marina has been replaced," and "new toilets has been made." Furthermore, missing articles or slight prepositional awkwardness can be observed. Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, and the meaning generally remains clear. To progress further, the writer must reduce the frequency of grammatical slips, particularly regarding passive voice constructions, tense consistency, and plural agreement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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