Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-28
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)
The mapes illustrates that the constraction of the porth harbour in 2000 and in present days.
Overall, The harbour has been significantly redeveloped for the tourism. with a addition of new facilities provide in present day. the castle into the hotel, expansion of the docking areas. while main road attach to the hotel.
In 2000, the western side of the porth had a only one shower & toilets , in now days one add shower and toilet near the car park. includes the extra docking area to put the ships. In the past there had a one marina private yachts in now its replace to the fishing boats.
In present day, some things are as it is like lifeboat in the south area. the road extend the in east area and atech to the hotel. in added hotel has a personal private beach to swimming for visitors.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the harbour, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the expansion of docking areas. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the score. While the main changes are identified, the description lacks detail and precision in comparing the two time periods. The overview is present but could be more clearly articulated to highlight the shift from a functional harbour to a tourist-oriented facility. To improve, ensure all key features are described with greater clarity and meet the minimum word count requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the awkward phrasing 'with a addition of new facilities provide in present day'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the transition between the description of the western side and the general changes. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track which specific area of the map is being discussed. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear topic sentences would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'things', 'place', and 'area'. There are several spelling errors, such as 'mapes' for 'maps', 'constraction' for 'construction', and 'atech' for 'attach'. The word choice is often imprecise, for example, 'put the ships' instead of 'accommodate vessels'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the frequent spelling mistakes prevent a higher score. Expanding your range of descriptive vocabulary related to maps and urban development would be highly beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect verb forms ('the mapes illustrates'), missing articles, and awkward sentence fragments ('with a addition of new facilities'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with misplaced periods and commas. While the reader can generally understand the intended meaning, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction is a significant issue. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence structure will help improve your accuracy.
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