Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-03
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 maps depict how the harbour looked in 2000 and the changes in recent times.
Overall, some areas have been developed in the new locations and some places have been transformed. Furthermore, few areas have been added which is hotel, cafes & shops and private beach.
In the year 2000, the main road was located on the western side of the map and it still has remained at the same place. Then, in the south side, there was a castle which has now been replaced by a hotel. Also, a new road has been added which has connected with the hotel. In addition, besides the hotel, the public beach has been transformed into a private beach especially for the hotel members. There was only one shower and toilet facility but after constructing added one more shower and toilet area near the large car parking.
Today, the number of passenger ferries has increased. Fishing boats and marina have swapped the place with each other. Near the lifeboat region, cafes and shops has been newly made in south side. The another public beach which was on the north side of the map it is still has remained unchanged.
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 maps, identifying key changes such as the replacement of the castle with a hotel and the addition of new facilities. However, the overview is somewhat weak; it lists features rather than synthesising the most significant trends, such as the shift toward commercialisation and tourism. While the response addresses the task, some descriptions are slightly imprecise, such as stating the fishing boats and marina 'swapped the place', which is a vague way to describe a relocation. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking transformations rather than just listing additions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific areas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'Today', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the western side to the south and then the north. However, the referencing is occasionally clunky, such as 'The another public beach', which disrupts the flow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the changes. There are some attempts at topic-specific vocabulary like 'passenger ferries', 'lifeboat region', and 'marina'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'swapped the place with each other' and 'has been newly made'. The use of 'added one more shower' is also slightly unnatural. To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and avoid repetitive structures. Using more sophisticated synonyms for 'added' or 'changed' would demonstrate a stronger lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'cafes and shops has been newly made' contains a subject-verb agreement error, and 'The another public beach... it is still has remained' is grammatically redundant and incorrect. There are also issues with article usage and tense consistency. While the errors do not prevent communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and eliminating redundant pronouns will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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