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 map illustrates a porth harbour in 2000 and how it looks now. Overall, cafes and shops, a new dock and a new section of showers and toilets are added. Whereas, public beach is changed to private beach for the hotel and few old name have been changed to new ones and also a new road is constructed to the hotel.

In 2000, there was marina (private yachts) section and fishing boats section that are replaced with each other. While, in the corner of south east of harbour was first a castle (disused) changed to hotel for which a new road is built following this public beach is renamed to private beach (for the hotel).

Furthermore, there are now two docks which was only one before in the north and also cafes and shops are constructed in the south near lifeboat. Lastly, a new showers and toilets area is built in the west of harbour. Although there are many changes in the harbour but some of them still the same today.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall changes, including the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, the castle becoming a hotel, and the addition of cafés and shops. These are relevant features and give the reader a general sense of the harbour’s redevelopment. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the maps show one dock in both periods, with an additional jetty and more boats today, rather than “two docks”; and the road to the hotel is not newly constructed. The overview also says that a “new section” of showers and toilets was added, but does not clearly distinguish the existing north-west facilities from the additional south-west block. Mentioning that the north-east public beach remains unchanged would make the comparison more complete. Overall, the main changes are covered, but some are underdeveloped or misreported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an overview is followed by paragraphs describing changes, and sequencing expressions such as “In 2000,” “Furthermore” and “Lastly” help signal progression. However, the organisation within paragraphs is not always clear. The sentence beginning “In 2000, there was marina…” combines the exchange of two areas with the castle and hotel changes, making the relationships difficult to follow. “Whereas” is used as a sentence fragment after the overview, and “Although” introduces a clause without a clear main clause. Some linking words therefore feel mechanical or are not connected accurately. Grouping the changes by location or by type, and using complete, clearly linked sentences, would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of map-related vocabulary, including “replaced,” “constructed,” “renamed” and “near,” and the main changes are generally understandable. There are also attempts at more specific phrases such as “private beach (for the hotel).” However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise: “two docks” mislabels the additional jetty, while “old name have been changed to new ones” is vague and does not accurately describe the changes. “A new section of showers and toilets” could be expressed more precisely as an additional facility block. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “porth harbour,” and “cafes” should be written with the accent as “cafés” if following the map label. More precise location and facility vocabulary would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while” and “although,” and the overall meaning can usually be understood. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, agreement and sentence construction. For example, “there was marina” needs an article, and “a new showers and toilets area” has a mismatch between the singular article and plural noun. In “two docks which was only one before,” the verb does not agree with the plural subject, and the intended comparison is awkwardly formed. The opening “Whereas” is not attached to a complete clause, while “Although there are many changes … but” uses two contrasting structures together. Practise forming complete complex sentences and checking agreement and articles to make your meaning more consistently accurate.

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