Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 layout of Porth Harbour in 2000 and the changes that took place after redevelopment.

Overall, the Porth Harbour has undergone a major shift, involving more facilities. It has introduced private services such as hotel, beach, etc, increasing efficiency. Additionally, it has installed an extra dock for passenger ferries on the north-eastern side.

At present, the Porth Harbour has increased its functionality by allocating public and private services separately. While the southern part is dedicated for private visitors, the northern area is dominated by public services. A hotel is constructed at the former place of the disused castle and the public beach at the south-east corner was converted into a private one. There are some cafes and shops installed near the lifeboat service, which was missing in 2000.

By contrary, the northern part of the area includes fishing boats, which has exchanged its place with Marina. While the public beach on the north-east remained unchanged, a new dock has been installed near for the ferries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main redevelopment and make relevant comparisons, including the hotel replacing the disused castle, the southern beach becoming private, and fishing boats and the marina exchanging locations. The overview also recognises the addition of facilities. However, some important details are unclear or inaccurate: the maps show an additional jetty at the existing northern dock, not an extra dock, and the southern beach is described as being in the south-east rather than south of the road. The claim that the northern area is dominated by public services is not clearly supported, and the changes to the car parks and showers are omitted. Select the main changes more precisely and explain them consistently to develop the account further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing changes in different parts of the harbour. This gives the reader a general route through the information. However, progression is not always clear. The second paragraph moves between the overall division of public and private areas, the southern changes, and new facilities, while the final paragraph shifts north without a clear transition. Linking phrases such as “By contrary” and “While” do not always express the intended relationship, and “it” in “which has exchanged its place” has an unclear reference. Grouping changes by location and using more precise links between comparisons would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “former place,” “disused castle,” and “remained unchanged.” These choices help convey the broad nature of the changes. There are also attempts at less common or formal wording, but some combinations are inaccurate or unnatural: “increasing efficiency,” “installed an extra dock,” and “dedicated for private visitors” do not describe the map changes precisely. “Lifeboat service” is less exact than referring to the lifeboat station, and “By contrary” is not the appropriate expression. Aim for precise map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “added,” “converted,” “located,” and “replaced,” rather than abstract claims about efficiency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the contrast in “While the public beach on the north-east remained unchanged” and the relative clause “which was missing in 2000.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “the Porth Harbour has undergone” uses an unnecessary article, and “fishing boats, which has exchanged its place” has problems with agreement and the pronoun reference. “A hotel is constructed at the former place” also uses a present form where a completed change is being described. Review articles, subject–verb agreement, pronouns, and consistent past or present-perfect forms when reporting changes; greater control of these features would make the comparisons clearer.

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