Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-05
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 5.5)
Comparisons of post harbour now and at the time in 2000 including their expanding facilities.
In 2000 map, there is a single dock including boat where as now upgraded to two docks. Also marina has been exchange to fishing boat due to lack of space in private yachts. In addition, increasing in the showers and toilets in today although in 2000 there is only single. also by reconstructing the road and change in entry of second car park which is before from south side but now if from west. Moreover , on the southern - eastern corner there is a life boat as alone but now add cafes and shops by expanding the facilities. however , In 2000, The castle which is not in used have now updated and named as hotel made a way through it . furthermore , there is a public beach on the side of castle is now update to the private beach for the hotel.
as such there is a lot more things has been increase then the previous year map shows.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify several important changes, including the switch between the marina and fishing-boat areas, the castle becoming a hotel, and the beach becoming private. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dock remains at the northern entrance and gains an additional jetty, rather than becoming “two docks”; the lifeboat is not in the south-eastern corner; and the road is not described as reconstructed. The overview that “a lot more things has been increase” is too general to summarise the main pattern of development. To strengthen the response, give a clear overview of the harbour’s overall modernisation, then report the main changes accurately, including the added facilities and the retained public beach in the north-east.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response follows a broadly chronological approach, moving from the 2000 layout to changes today, and linking expressions such as “In addition” and “Moreover” show an attempt to connect points. However, the ideas are presented as one long paragraph, so the overview and supporting details are not clearly separated. Several transitions are mechanical or confusing, particularly “also by reconstructing the road” and “as such,” and the sequence of changes is difficult to follow. Organise the answer into a short introduction and overview, followed by a paragraph on changes to harbour facilities and another on the southern area. Use linking words only where they express a clear relationship between details.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “marina,” “fishing boat,” “car park,” “castle,” and “private beach,” which helps communicate the map changes. There are also attempts at more formal wording, such as “reconstructing” and “expanding the facilities,” but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “exchange to” does not clearly describe the relocation, and “updated and named as hotel” is not a natural way to report the castle’s replacement. Repetition of “now” and “increase” also limits precision. Build a more accurate range of map-description verbs and collocations, such as “was replaced by,” “was relocated to,” and “additional facilities were introduced.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts longer sentences with connectors, but complex structures are often faulty, and errors sometimes make relationships between features hard to understand. For example, “In 2000 map, there is a single dock including boat where as now upgraded to two docks” lacks articles and a clear main clause; “there is only single” also needs an article and a complete comparison. Verb forms and agreement are inconsistent in “a lot more things has been increase,” while punctuation and capitalisation are unreliable, as in “however ,” and “furthermore ,”. Use complete, controlled sentences with consistent past and present forms—for example, “In 2000, the harbour had one dock; today, it has an additional jetty.”
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