Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The plans illustrate the changes a harbor underwent from the year 2000 and how it looks today.

Overall, the harbor undergoes several significant developments. It expanded and modernized with new residential and commercial facilities. Another dock has built while the castle that was disused has been demolished.

The layout of Porth harbor in 2000 was quite simple with two public beaches in north and south. There were two car parks with only one area designated for showers and had toilets. Lifeboat area was near the disused castle. The dock, marina for private yachts and fishing boats were almost in center.

Today, the harbor represents some notable changes. A striking change is the establishment of a hotel. Near the hotel a private beach has built only for the hotel members. Another remarkable development is the introduction of cafes and shops adjacent to the lifeboat. Although fishing boats and marina are still present, they have swapped their locations. In addition, another area can be seen for showers and toilets as well as a new dock has added. Road has also extended towards the hotel. Entrance to a car park has also changed it is now connected to the main road.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the main changes depicted in the two maps of Porth Harbour. A general overview is provided right at the beginning, noting that the harbor expanded and modernized with new facilities, and key features such as the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of cafes and shops, and the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel are highlighted. While the overview and selection of features are clear and sufficient to meet the requirements of a Band 7, some details are slightly generalized, and certain comparisons could have been extended more fully to reach a higher tier. Overall, the information presented is accurate and directly derived from the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear overall progression, moving logically from an introductory overview and the past layout in 2000 to the current setup and modern additions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct time periods and themes. Cohesive devices are generally well managed, with phrases like 'The layout of Porth harbor in 2000', 'Today, the harbor represents some notable changes', and 'Although fishing boats and marina are still present' guiding the reader through the comparison. However, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical or abrupt in transitioning between individual sentences, holding the response at a solid mid-band level rather than achieving more flexible and seamless connectivity.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items and specific terms such as 'establishment', 'adjacent', 'relocated', and 'modernized'. There are, however, occasional lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as writing 'has built' instead of 'has been built' or 'another area can be seen for showers and toilets as well as a new dock has added'. Spelling and general word choice are mostly clear enough not to impede communication, fitting comfortably within the mid-band descriptor for lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as concessive clauses ('Although fishing boats and marina are still present, they have swapped their locations'). However, control over grammar and sentence structures is inconsistent, with frequent errors in passive voice constructions and verb forms (e.g., 'Another dock has built' instead of 'Another dock has been built', 'a new dock has added' instead of 'a new dock has been added'). Furthermore, there are missing articles and prepositional inconsistencies ('in north and south', 'near the disused castle'). These frequent grammatical lapses prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

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