Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 diagram below demonstrates a harbour in the past as compared to how it looks today.

Overall, the figure illustrates some major changes in Porth Harbour with the modifications in the public and private beaches as well as cafeteria.

The area is more advanced than before. There is an addition of cafeteria and shops to the south of Porth harbour near to lifeboat. The castle is replaced with a hotel, and public beach is converted into private beach specifically for the hotel. Furthermore, fishing boats and private yachts have switched places. Moreover, main road is now linked to the car park which is on the south of the harbour. An addition of showers and toilets is noticeable near to the car park.

Public beach is still the same, and another dock is installed where boat is tied. Passenger ferries and lifeboat remained unchanged, however the road which was connected to the lifeboat is now also linked with the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the hotel replacing the disused castle, the southern beach becoming private, and fishing boats and private yachts changing locations. The overview also recognises that the harbour has been developed. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the car park is not described as being newly linked to the main road, and the road is not newly linked to the hotel; it already ran towards the castle area. The dock gains an additional jetty, rather than simply “another dock,” and the passenger ferries are not clearly shown as unchanged. To strengthen the report, describe the main spatial changes more precisely and include the added facilities and the relocation of the marina and fishing boats with clear reference to their former and current positions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing changes and features that remain. This gives the reader a generally coherent account. However, the progression within the detail paragraph is not always clear, as it moves from cafés and shops to the hotel, road, car park, and showers without a consistent spatial or thematic order. Linking words such as “Furthermore” and “Moreover” help connect points, but their repeated use makes the cohesion somewhat mechanical. Some references are also vague, particularly “another dock” and “the road which was connected to the lifeboat.” Grouping changes by location or by what was relocated, added, or retained would make the sequence easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for describing changes, including “replaced,” “converted,” “switched places,” and “remained unchanged.” These choices communicate several key developments clearly. Some word choices and collocations are less precise or natural, however: “cafeteria” does not accurately describe the plural “Cafés & shops,” and “another dock is installed where boat is tied” misrepresents the added jetty and sounds awkward. “The area is more advanced” is also a broad, informal description rather than a precise summary of the redevelopment. Aim to use the map’s specific labels and more exact terms for facilities and changes; this will improve precision while retaining your adequate range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple sentences and more complex forms, including the comparison in “The diagram below demonstrates a harbour in the past as compared to how it looks today” and the contrast introduced by “however.” Most of the meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “near to lifeboat” needs an article and a more natural preposition, while “where boat is tied” needs an article and a clearer verb construction. The sentence beginning “Moreover” also has an unclear relationship between the main road and the car park. Check articles, sentence structure, and punctuation around linking words, and practise expressing map changes with accurate past and present forms.

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