Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-21

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 above plans compares a harbour how it was in 2000 and how it is looking today.

Overall, there is several changes are made that change the look of harbour, the adding of eatry shops and increase in number of docks and development in castle area.

In 2000 if came from north to south the first road to east side there was car parking and just above that the place for showers and toilet and it is still same today. Beside the parking there was place for private yachts and name of that place in Marina, but now that place currently is for a fishing boats. There was one dock previously and today there is a two dock for passenger ferries in north-east side and and also a public beach that is still public beach.

On south and south-east side there are multiple developments, previously in 2000 there was no direct turn to car parking but currently is connected directly and also one more showers and toilets are added just above parking. Beside that there was place for fishing boat but currently there is Marina place for private yachts. Third turn from main road now comes towards cafes and shops that is addition in current plan, and there was castle are now converted into hotel and that also have private beach on south side that was previously public beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main contrast between the harbour in 2000 and today, including the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of cafés and shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. Your overview also recognises that the harbour has been developed, and most reported changes match the plans. This meets the task well, with some features described more fully than others. However, the overview is broad, and a few details are unclear or inaccurate: the northern dock is described as “two dock” rather than one dock with an additional jetty and two boats, and the public beach is not on the south side in the earlier plan—the southern beach becomes private today. A more precise overview and clearer location comparisons would strengthen the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes from north to south. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the plans. You also use time markers such as “in 2000,” “today,” and “previously” to signal comparisons. However, some links are mechanical or unclear, particularly the repeated use of “and” in “and and also,” and the long final sentence combines several separate changes. References such as “that place” and “that also” are not always precise, so the reader must infer what they refer to. Grouping changes by area and using clearer transitions such as “By contrast” or “Further south” would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “harbour,” “private yachts,” “passenger ferries,” “main road,” and “converted into hotel,” which helps communicate the main developments. There is also some attempt to vary wording with “development,” “addition,” and “connected.” However, the range is not consistently precise or natural: “eatry shops” is unclear, “place for fishing boat” is imprecise, and “two dock” does not accurately name the feature. Spelling and word-form errors, including “cafes” without the accent (acceptable in English as “cafes,” but use it consistently) and “parking” where “car park” is clearer, reduce control. Aim for accurate map labels and natural collocations, such as “the marina was relocated” and “a second car park was added.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the reader can usually understand the intended comparisons. However, errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and verb forms are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to process. For example, “The above plans compares” should be “The plans compare,” while “there is several changes are made” contains both agreement and clause-structure problems. “If came from north to south” is also incomplete, and “there was castle are now converted” mixes tenses and sentence patterns. Use a reliable structure such as “In 2000, X was located…, whereas today it has been replaced by…” and check subject–verb agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms. This would make your comparisons clearer and more accurate.

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

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