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 given diagram illustrates the Porth Harbour in 2000 and how it looks currently after moderate changes made. Overall, In 2000, there were plenty of facilities with geographical aspects, whereas post-development shows significant changes with new added amenities added on the north, south, east and the west side.

In 2000, North side had public beach where boats, dock area and passenger ferries connected. western side had several facilities like showers and toilets and 2 car parking areas connected to main road. In a left mid-central area Marina (private yachts) were available and just below it fishing boats were present. On the south and south east side there was a road ending at life boat entrance and disused castle and public beach.

Current layout has various facilities added like showers and toilets at western side above big car parking area. Marina (private yachts) and fishing boats replaced their places. Life boat entrance added cafes and shops in rows, on the castle side hotel is replaced. Private beach on the southern side particularly meant for hotel people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the two time periods and report several relevant changes, including the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of cafés and shops, and the replacement of the castle with a hotel. Your overview also recognises that the harbour gained amenities. However, some key details are unclear or inaccurate: the public beach is on the north-east side, not simply the “North side,” and the southern beach becomes private for hotel guests rather than being described only as “particularly meant for hotel people.” The account of the dock and passenger ferries is also vague, and the new second showers-and-toilets block is not clearly distinguished from the existing facilities. A more precise overview and fuller comparison of the main changes would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by descriptions of the 2000 layout and the current plan. This gives the reader a basic progression through the maps. However, the organisation within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in the long first overview sentence, which lists changes across several directions without clearly grouping them. Phrases such as “On the south and south east side” and “Current layout has various facilities added” introduce information, but the relationships between features are not always explicit. Use clearer spatial grouping—for example, north, central harbour, then south—and connect each change directly to its earlier location. This would make the comparison more coherent and less list-like.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of map-related vocabulary, including “facilities,” “western side,” “replaced,” and “private beach,” so the main information is generally understandable. There are also attempts at more specific terms such as “geographical aspects” and “amenities,” although some choices are imprecise or unnatural in context. For example, “boats, dock area and passenger ferries connected” does not clearly describe their positions, while “life boat entrance” is not the same as a lifeboat station. The phrase “new added amenities added” is repetitive, and “hotel people” is too informal for an IELTS report. Aim for precise location and change vocabulary, such as “situated,” “relocated,” and “designated for hotel guests,” and avoid repeating the same word.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more extended sentence forms, and the reader can usually understand the intended comparisons. Some grammatical errors remain, however. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “Overall, In 2000” and “western side,” and articles are missing in phrases such as “North side had public beach” and “Current layout has various facilities.” The sentence “Marina (private yachts) and fishing boats replaced their places” also has an unclear subject–verb relationship; a clearer construction would be that the marina and fishing boats “switched locations.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention, especially where several features are joined in one sentence. More consistently accurate articles, sentence structure, and punctuation would improve control.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.