Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-16

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 how a port harbour has been changed between 2000 and as of present.

Overall, the port has undergone significant redevelopment, with maintaining the same layout and replacing some facilities. The most noticeable changes were transforming of public beaches to private, adding a new dock, cafeterias and shops. The castle was discussed to build in the beginning, however, hotel was constructed as of today.

In 2000, there was only one dock for marina private yatchs and fishing boats in the northwest region which now has been converted interchangeably and beside a dock was added to make it easier for them to park more boats. In addition, the castle was not built as planned by 2000, instead the hotel was constructed and next to it, the public beach was also transformed into private beach for hotel purpose.

Meanwhile, cafeterias and shops were made beside lifeboat in south to generate income through people who will be staying at hotel. Moreover, showers and toilets were assembled above car park in the southwest. The road that was connecting car park to the route of hotel was demolished and linked it to main road for convenience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the broad redevelopment and several key changes, including the hotel replacing the disused castle, the southern beach becoming private, and new cafés and shops. This gives the response a relevant overview and shows some comparison between the two plans. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dock was not newly added, but gained an additional jetty; the castle was already present in 2000, rather than merely planned; and the road is not shown as demolished or rerouted. The account of the marina and fishing boats being exchanged is relevant, but the locations are described imprecisely. To make the summary more complete and precise, report the main changes in their correct locations and avoid adding explanations such as generating hotel income, which the plans do not show.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “In addition,” and “Meanwhile” help signal the progression. However, some connections are difficult to follow because several changes are compressed into long sentences. For example, the sentence beginning “In 2000, there was only one dock…” combines the marina, fishing boats, and dock changes, making their locations and relationship unclear. “The castle was discussed to build in the beginning” also interrupts the sequence of comparing past and present features. Organise the details by area or by type of change, and use clearer references to the two time periods so the reader can follow each comparison without having to infer it.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “converted,” “constructed,” and “transformed,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are also attempts at more specific terms, such as “interchangeably” and “assembled,” but these do not fit the intended meanings in context. Some collocations are unnatural, including “port harbour,” “make it easier for them to park more boats,” and “for hotel purpose.” Spelling errors such as “yatchs” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map-description language and natural combinations—for example, say that facilities were “relocated” or “added,” and describe a beach as “reserved for hotel guests.” This would make the vocabulary more accurate and flexible while retaining your useful range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “which” and “however,” and the main message is usually recoverable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with tense, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “has been changed between 2000 and as of present” mixes time expressions and verb forms; “with maintaining the same layout” is not a well-formed construction; and “the castle was discussed to build” does not express the intended passive meaning. The sentence about the road being “demolished and linked it to main road” also has unclear structure and reference. Use consistent past-versus-present forms when comparing the maps, and check articles and clause structure. More accurate control of these patterns would make your comparisons easier to understand.

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

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