Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24
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)
This picture has a two diagram of a harbour in one picture is of twenty six year ago and one is the today picture. we have to summarise difference between two picture. In 2000 harbour has no cafe and shops but in today there is a shops and cafe. The place of dock also change and the number of boats also increased.In 2000 fishing boats are along with the road but nowadays it located at the north side of main road. There is one dock in 2000 but now its number increased to two.There is als0 addition of hotel and a private beach for hotel view and a people stayed in the hotel. The road are connect to the hotel for cars and buses. twenty six year ago in harbour beach is public any one enjoy in beach but today it become private only for hotel use. the harbour offer different type of entertainment like fishing boating and private yachts.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response identifies the main features of the harbour, such as the addition of shops, cafes, and the hotel, as well as the changes to the docks and beach. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant trends, which is a requirement for Band 6 and above. The description is somewhat repetitive and lists details without grouping them logically. While the main changes are mentioned, the response would benefit from a more structured approach that highlights the transformation from a public fishing area to a more commercialized tourist destination.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders the logical flow of information. There is a lack of paragraphing to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Cohesive devices are either missing or used in a very basic, repetitive manner (e.g., 'In 2000', 'but now', 'today'). The progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two time periods effectively. To improve, you should use clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'picture', 'place', and 'change'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'today picture' and 'the road are connect to the hotel'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You should aim to use more descriptive language related to maps and trends, such as 'transformed', 'expanded', 'relocated', or 'converted', to better describe the changes shown in the diagrams.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('the road are connect', 'the number of boats also increased') and article usage ('a shops and cafe', 'in harbour beach'). Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic structures limits the score. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and correct pluralization will significantly improve your accuracy.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.