Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-12

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 picture depicts of how porth harbour looks today and how it use to look in year 2000. The major noticeable change is the disused castle which has now turned into a hotel.

Overall, the porth harbour looks quite similar as it use to look before. Just a few changes have been made. Some extra areas and new projects are developed.

Firstly, the massive change is about the disused castle and the beach which is used by public near the castle. Now the castle has been demolished and a hotel is constructed and the public beach near it being used as a private hotel beach. Secondly, there is a new dock added for passenger ferries and a additional showers and toilets space for tourists. A new cafe's and shop's space is added besides lifeboat. Another change is that private yachts and fishing boats have switched places with each other.

Comparing the old and the new harbour, adding the hotel is a superb concept as the castle was disused and the tourist could appreciate a stay. Whereas, the extra dock and the changing spaces were necessay as the tourists increase day by day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall change—the disused castle becoming a hotel—and report several other relevant developments, including the beach becoming private, new cafés and shops, and the marina and fishing boats exchanging locations. These details show a reasonable understanding of the plans. However, the overview that the harbour “looks quite similar” is broad and does not clearly summarise the main pattern of redevelopment. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dock was not newly added, but gained an additional jetty and a second berthed boat; the extra showers and toilets are not described precisely; and the public beach near the castle is actually south of the road. The final comments about whether changes were “superb” or necessary are opinions rather than map summary. A clearer overview and more precise reporting would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph describing changes, and a concluding comparison. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Another change” help readers follow the list of developments. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, and the final paragraph shifts from describing the plans to evaluating the changes, which weakens the focus and connection to the preceding information. Some references are also unclear, such as “the beach which is used by public near the castle,” and “a new dock added” does not clearly connect to the actual change at the existing dock. Grouping changes by location or by type, and using clearer references between sentences, would make the account more cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “disused castle,” “private beach,” “passenger ferries,” and “switched places,” so the main changes are generally understandable. There is also some variety in how you describe developments. However, several word choices and collocations are awkward or imprecise, such as “extra areas and new projects are developed,” “a new dock added,” and “changing spaces.” The phrase “a superb concept” is evaluative and not suitable for a neutral map report. There are also spelling and form errors, including “necessay” and the apostrophes in “cafe's and shop's.” Aim for precise terms such as “facilities,” “additional jetty,” and “were relocated,” and use neutral language throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a comparison with “Whereas,” and most of the meaning remains clear. However, some errors in sentence structure, tense, articles, and agreement reduce accuracy. For example, “The picture depicts of how” has an unnecessary preposition, while “how it use to look” should use a past-tense form. In “the public beach near it being used,” the clause is incomplete, and “a additional showers” has an article error. The sentence beginning “Whereas” is also a fragment rather than a complete contrast. Practise forming complete clauses and checking verb forms and articles; more accurate complex sentences would make your comparisons clearer.

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