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 given illustrations demonstrate how a habrour looked different in 2000 than it looks today.

Overall, although the public beach in both years remained the same, the hardbour underwent major changes in showering areas, roads, number of docks and hotels.

In the year 2000, while there was only one place designated to the showers and toilets, this area became doubled recently. Along with that, the location of the fishing boats and private yachts switched and cafes and shopes were built alongside the private yachts parking near the road . Furthermore, the road at the entrance had a clear route towards the lifeboat area before that turned to the hotel side currently.

Moreover, in the year two thousand, there was only one dock that increased to two recently. Surprisingly, the north-east side of the harbour showed the major change. In 2000, the lower side of the harbour had a Castle that converted into the hotel. Along with the hotel included a private beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall transformation and several relevant changes: the fishing boats and private yachts exchange locations, facilities are added, and the disused castle becomes a hotel with a private beach. This covers the task and includes a useful overview, with the public beach correctly noted as remaining. Some details, however, are unclear or inaccurate: the dock did not increase from one to two docks; rather, an additional jetty and a second berthed boat were added. The claim that cafés and shops were built alongside the yachts is also misplaced; they are beside the lifeboat station. The road’s route is difficult to interpret, and the north-east is described as showing a major change even though its public beach remains. More precise comparisons of the harbour’s key areas would complete the account more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes. Sequencing phrases such as “Overall,” “In the year 2000,” and “Moreover” help signal the organisation. However, the progression within the detail paragraphs is not always clear. For example, the sentence about cafés, shops, yachts and the road combines several separate changes, while “the road at the entrance had a clear route towards the lifeboat area before that turned to the hotel side currently” is difficult to follow. The final paragraph also shifts from docks to the north-east and then to the hotel without clear links. Grouping changes by location or by old-to-new feature, and using clearer references, would make the account easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some suitable map vocabulary, including “designated,” “location,” “alongside,” and “converted into,” and the reader can generally understand the changes you describe. However, several spelling errors—“habrour,” “hardbour,” and “shopes”—reduce accuracy, while some phrases are imprecise or unnatural for describing plans. “The harbour underwent major changes in showering areas” is vague, and “the number of docks” does not accurately describe the added jetty and boat. “Private yachts parking” is also an awkward collocation. Aim for precise terms such as “facilities,” “berths,” “jetty,” and “marina,” and check spelling carefully. This would make your vocabulary more reliable and better suited to a map comparison.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including a concession clause beginning “although” and a comparison using “while.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical choices make relationships between events unclear. In “this area became doubled recently,” the passive-like construction is not formed naturally; a clearer structure would state that the facilities were doubled or that a second block was added. “The lower side of the harbour had a Castle that converted into the hotel” also needs a passive form (“was converted”) and more accurate article use. The long sentence about the road and lifeboat has an unclear clause connection. Continue using complex sentences, but check verb forms, articles and clause boundaries so the comparisons remain clear.

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

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