Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-11

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 map compares how the Porth Harbour looks like in the year 2000 and how it changed today.

Overall, the comparison between the two images showed some changes over the years, which significantly includes a hotel and a private beach that was open to the public before.

Some areas in the Porth Harbour stayed the same over the past years, like the public beach, and passenger ferries that still operates today. Lifeboat are still available if needed, and roads are still accessible to pass by. But, some additionals had been made.

The Porth Harbour in year 2000 had only one showers and toilets, as well as docks. As of today, they now have 2 showers and toilets and two docks for yachts. Moreover, Marina for private yachts and fishing boats parking switched its places. To add, there are now cafes and shops in the area. The castle that was disused in 2000 was rebuilt to a hotel. Significantly, the beach that was open to the public before, is now owned by the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall changes: the former castle site becomes a hotel, the southern beach becomes private, and the marina and fishing-boat areas exchange locations. These are relevant comparisons, and the overview gives the reader a clear sense of the development. Some details, however, are inaccurate or insufficiently precise. The maps show one dock in 2000 and an expanded dock with an additional jetty and two berthed boats today, not “two docks for yachts.” The public beach remains at the north-east, while it is the southern beach that changes status. You also mention passenger ferries as unchanged, but do not report the added jetty and boats or the new facilities. More precise coverage of these changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing unchanged features and developments. The main changes are generally grouped sensibly, and linking phrases such as “Overall,” “Moreover,” and “To add” help signal progression. However, the organisation is not always fully clear. The paragraph beginning “Some areas…” combines several unchanged features with a vague transition to additions, while the final paragraph lists changes without a clear spatial or thematic order. Some references are also imprecise: “the beach that was open to the public before” could be mistaken for the north-eastern public beach, which remains public. Grouping changes by location or type and using clearer references would strengthen the progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough task-related vocabulary to communicate the main developments, including “private beach,” “passenger ferries,” “Marina,” and “disused.” However, several word choices and collocations are noticeably awkward or imprecise, which limits the clarity and flexibility of the description. For example, “how the Porth Harbour looks like” is not a natural way to introduce a map comparison, and “fishing boats parking switched its places” does not clearly describe the relocation of the two areas. “Some additionals” is also an incorrect form, while “rebuilt to a hotel” is not the appropriate collocation for the change shown. Aim for precise map vocabulary such as “was relocated,” “was converted into,” and “facilities,” and check that nouns and phrases fit their intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, and the overall meaning is usually understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with agreement, articles, and sentence construction. In “passenger ferries that still operates,” the plural subject requires a plural verb; “Lifeboat are still available” also has a number-agreement problem. The opening phrase “how the Porth Harbour looks like” has an incorrect structure, and “The Porth Harbour in year 2000” needs an article or a more natural time expression. There are also awkwardly joined clauses, as in “But, some additionals had been made.” More consistent control of verb agreement and article use, alongside clearer sentence patterns, would improve accuracy while preserving your range.

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