Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The plans compare design of Port Harbour in 2000 and today.

Overall, the biggest changes between 2000 and now concern adding additional dock and amendities as well as opening the hotel instead of the existing castle.

In the northern part of the harbour, next to the existing dock for passanger ferries is now built another one. In 2000 in the north-western part of the port, on the right side of the showers, toilets and the parking was located marina used by private yachts. Below the marina dock for fishing boats was located; however both marina and fishing boats dock switched places. On the left-hand side from the marina is located the second car park, no changes were made in that regard; however the new showers and toilets have been added to the north of the car park.

Additionaly, between the marina and the lifeboat are now located newly added cafes and shops. Last but not least, on the south-eastern part of the marina, instead of the existing castle is now located the new hotel. Moreover due to that change beach that used to be public in 2000 is now private one, i.e. owned by the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response gives a clear overview of the main developments, especially the added dock, the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, and the replacement of the castle by a hotel with a private beach. These are relevant, accurately reported features, and the comparison between the two plans is sustained. The account also includes several supporting details, such as the new cafés and shops and the additional showers and toilets. Some spatial descriptions are unclear or imprecise: for example, “on the right side” and “on the left-hand side” depend on map orientation, while the second car park’s unchanged position is not explained clearly. A fuller account of the harbour’s overall reorganisation and more precise location language would make the summary more complete and assured.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by details about the northern harbour and then the southern changes. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “however,” and “Moreover” help show comparison and addition, and the reader can generally follow the account. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. In “Below the marina dock for fishing boats was located; however both marina and fishing boats dock switched places,” the relationship between the two areas is compressed, and “on the left-hand side from the marina” makes the spatial reference difficult to follow. The final paragraph also combines several changes in a long sequence. Clearer paragraphing and more direct transitions between locations would strengthen the progression while retaining the current logical structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of vocabulary for describing changes and locations, including “replaced,” “switched places,” “additional,” and “private.” The writer also attempts more specific terms such as “north-western part” and “south-eastern part.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “design of Port Harbour,” “amendities,” “another one” for a dock, and “on the left-hand side from.” Spelling errors such as “passanger” and “Additionaly” also reduce accuracy. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the main changes, but they limit precision and naturalness. Use standard map-description phrases such as “the layout of the harbour,” “a second dock,” and “to the west of” to make the account more fluent and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex structures, including contrast with “however” and cause-and-effect with “due to that change.” Most meanings remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “compare design” needs an article, and “between the marina and the lifeboat are now located” has awkward word order and agreement. The sentence beginning “In 2000 in the north-western part…” also places the time and location phrases in a confusing order. Articles are missing in “beach that used to be public” and “is now private one,” and punctuation around “however” is not consistently controlled. Practise accurate article use and straightforward subject–verb–object sentence patterns, then vary them with complex clauses.

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