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 plan below show a harbour map in 2000 and how it looks today.

In 2000, there are numeours of different spaces in the harbour. Beside the main road, there is a small space for showers & toilets, two car park area, one marina where private yactchs are located, and one fishing boats area. On the East side, there is a public beach, dock area, and passenger ferries. On the south, there is a road which leads to a lifeboat corner in the south-east corner. There is also a castle(disudes) which also have a public beach beside it.

At present, there is quite a lot of changes in the map. There is an extra showers & toilets area beside the car park space. Then, the fishing boats and marina with private yacths areas are exchanged with each other. Morever, a extra dock is also added and in the south-east corner, there is a cafes & shops area. Furthermore, there is a hotel instead of the castle and the public beach has turned into a private beach for the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, the addition of facilities, and the castle’s replacement by a hotel. However, the account is only partly complete: it lacks a clear overall summary of how the harbour has been redeveloped, and some locations are inaccurate or vague. For example, the cafés and shops are described as being in the south-east corner, whereas they are beside the lifeboat station along the road. The opening description also places the public beach and dock on the east side, although the dock is at the northern entrance and the public beach is north-east of the harbour. Include the main spatial changes more precisely and distinguish the two beaches.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear basic structure: it describes the 2000 plan first and then turns to the present-day changes. Linking expressions such as “At present,” “Then,” and “Furthermore” help signal this progression, and the reader can generally follow the comparison. This coherent overall arrangement is a strength. However, the first paragraph lists features in a somewhat loose sequence, and the second relies on a series of connectors rather than grouping related changes. Some references are also unclear, such as “an extra showers & toilets area beside the car park space,” which does not specify which facilities or car park are meant. Organise the changes by area or type, and use clearer location references to make the progression more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough task-related vocabulary to communicate the main features, including “harbour,” “marina,” “fishing boats,” “lifeboat,” and “private beach.” There are also attempts to describe change with phrases such as “exchanged with each other” and “instead of.” However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling or word-choice errors reduce precision: “numeours,” “yactchs,” “disudes,” and “Morever.” Phrases such as “lifeboat corner” and “a lot of changes” are also imprecise for a map description. Aim for accurate, specific terms and vary the language used to report redevelopment, while checking spelling and natural collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple statements and some longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually understandable. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, particularly with agreement, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “The plan below show” needs a plural verb, while “two car park area” requires a plural noun. In “a extra dock,” the article is incorrect, and “the castle … which also have a public beach” has an agreement problem and an unclear relative clause. The response also relies heavily on simple present-tense descriptions, with limited variety in structures for comparing past and present. Practise accurate plural forms and articles, and use controlled comparison structures such as “whereas” or “was replaced by.”

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