Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-10

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)

MAPS COMPARE THE PORTH HARBOUR STRUCTURE OF 2000 WITH REDEVELOPMENT VERSION IN MODERN TIMES.

OVERALL, AS SUCH NO BIG CHANGES HAS BEEN MADE . CAFES AND SHOPS HAVE BEEN A PART OF MODERN MAP OF PARK TO FACILITATE VISITORS NEAR ROAD LEADING TOWARS LIFEBOAT.

THERE WAS ONE DOCK FOR PEOPLE WHO RELY ON FERRIES TO TRAVEL OR ONLY WANT TO RIDE IT AS FUN BUT NOW ANOTHER DOCK IS CONSTRUCTED ON WEST OF EXISTING ONE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE PASSENGERS THROUGH FERRIES.

AN ABANDONED CASTLE HAS BEEN RENOVATED TO HOTEL WITH A PRIVATE BEACH AND MESMERISING SEA VIEW. FISHING BOATS AND MARINA IS EXCHANGED THEIR ALLOCATED AREA WITH EACH OTHER. A NEW RESTROOM IS A PART OF RENOVATED MAP. IT IS BUILT ON WEST OF MARINA WHICH IS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE OF MAIN ROAD. CAR PARK ON SOUTHERN PART OF PARK WAS CONNECTED TO MAIN ROAD WHICH IS NOW ONLY ATTACHED TO ROAD CONNECTING TO HOTEL AND LIFEBOAT.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the exchange of the fishing-boat and marina areas, the addition of cafés and shops, and the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel with a private beach. However, the overview says “no big changes,” which understates the redevelopment: the marina and fishing boats switch locations, facilities are added, and the southern beach changes from public to private. Some details are also inaccurate or unclear. The new jetty is described as a second dock, and the car-park/road change is difficult to verify from your wording. To strengthen the response, give a more accurate overview of the scale and main direction of change, then describe the key locations precisely and distinguish docks from jetties.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response includes relevant features and generally moves from new visitor facilities to the hotel and changes in harbour use. However, it is presented as one block, so the overview and supporting details are not clearly separated. The opening overview is also followed immediately by individual changes, without a clear organising principle such as grouping the northern harbour changes and the southern redevelopment. Some links are awkward or unclear, particularly “A new restroom is a part of renovated map” and the final sentence about the car park and roads. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and details, and group features by location or type of change. This would make the progression easier to follow and reduce the need for the reader to infer connections.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing redevelopment, including “renovated,” “accommodate,” “private beach,” and “allocated area.” Some less common choices show ambition, but several are inaccurate or unnatural in this context: “modern map of park,” “ride it as fun,” and “mesmerising sea view” do not describe the plan in a suitably precise, neutral way. “Another dock” is also not the right term for the additional jetty. Spelling errors such as “towars” and “cafes” (where the intended spelling is “cafés”) further reduce accuracy. Prefer straightforward map vocabulary such as “site,” “facility,” “jetty,” and “located,” and check spelling and collocations so that your meaning remains precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex structures, including “which is directly opposite of main road” and “Fishing boats and marina is exchanged their allocated area.” However, some errors in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence construction make parts of the description difficult to interpret. For example, “no big changes has been made” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “Fishing boats and marina is exchanged” needs a plural subject and a passive form such as “have exchanged locations.” The sentence beginning “There was one dock” also shifts awkwardly from past description to present comparison. Practise accurate past-versus-present contrasts and check each sentence for a clear subject, verb, and article. More controlled complex sentences would improve clarity.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.