Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-22

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 plans compare the layout of Porth harbour before and after it underwent redevelopment.

Overall, the harbour went through a significant modernization process, now capable of accomodating more boats as a result of increase in the number of docks. The car park has remained in the same place but the zones designated for the Private yatchs (Marina) and the area reserved for Fishing boats have switched positions.

A new Shower and Toilets section has been built on the west side of the Marina. One noticeable change is the addition of a dock thereby increasing the total number of docks from two to three. Another major development in the harbor is the conversion of an earlier disused Castle to a hotel that also provides easy access to the private beach.

A new Cafés and Shops section has been added right next to the Lifeboat area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the overall redevelopment and report several important changes, including the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, the hotel replacing the disused castle, and the addition of cafés and shops. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the plans show an additional jetty, not an additional dock, and the number of docks is not shown as increasing from two to three. The car park has not simply remained in the same place; the current plan shows two car parks and additional facilities. You also omit notable changes such as the public beach becoming private and the new showers and toilets near the marina. The response is 144 words, below the required 150, and several features are only briefly reported. Develop the comparisons more fully and check each claim against the plans.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall sequence: an introduction, an overview, and then details about facilities and redevelopment. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “One noticeable change,” and “Another major development” help signal the progression. However, the body is compressed into short, separate statements, so the reader gets limited explanation of how the changes relate spatially or compare between the two plans. The overview also combines several points without clearly distinguishing the main transformations from smaller additions. Grouping changes by location or by type—for example, harbour-use changes, new visitor facilities, and the southern area—would create a more developed progression. Use references such as “in the northern basin” and “south of the road” to make connections between features clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for describing redevelopment, including “layout,” “designated,” “conversion,” and “addition.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the meaning remains clear despite some inaccurate or awkward wording. For example, “increase in the number of docks” mislabels the added jetty, while “easy access to the private beach” is not a clearly reported feature of the plan. There are also spelling errors in “accomodating” and “yatchs,” and “Shower and Toilets section” is an awkward label. Aim for precise map vocabulary and accurate spelling, and avoid adding interpretations that the visual information does not establish. More varied location terms would also help describe the changes precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of sentence forms, including a complex overview sentence with “but” and a relative clause in “a hotel that also provides easy access to the private beach.” Most sentences are understandable, and grammatical errors do not prevent the reader from following the account. Some structures are less controlled, however. In “as a result of increase in the number of docks,” the noun phrase needs an article (“an increase”), and “the zones designated for the Private yatchs … and the area … have switched positions” has awkward agreement and parallel structure. The sentence beginning “A new Shower and Toilets section” also uses an unnatural singular construction for facilities. Continue using complex sentences, but check articles, agreement, and parallel phrasing carefully.

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