Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-04
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 two plans represent the Port Harbour as it was in 2000 and today after certain redevelopments have been made.
The plan shows the construction of a new road that leads to the hotel, which was previously a disused Castle. Accommodations for more boats have been made by creating more space for docks. The positions of the Marina and the Fishing boats are now interchanged.
In 2000, there was a disused castle located east of the main road, now replaced with the Hotel. Cafes and shops are now opened alongside lifeboat. Showers and toilets are also made available for larger car park, previously unavailable in the larger car park just below the smaller car park.
The larger car park is now connected to the main road by a small road, previously connected to the road emerging from the main road. The public beach located south-west of the castle is now made private for the hotel.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 redevelopment well. You successfully identified key changes, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the expansion of docking facilities, and the privatization of the beach. However, the overview is somewhat weak; while you mention 'certain redevelopments', a more effective summary would highlight the shift from a more industrial/public-use space to a commercial/tourist-oriented facility. Additionally, some descriptions are slightly confusing, such as the mention of 'lifeboat' without context and the unclear explanation regarding the car park connections. Overall, the main trends are identified, but the report lacks a cohesive summary of the transformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the general overview to specific changes. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In 2000' and 'now', to signal time shifts. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the description of the car park and the beach is abrupt. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the road changes, which makes it difficult for the reader to visualize the spatial relationships described in the plans. More varied linking words would improve the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopments', 'accommodations', and 'interchanged'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'disused Castle' should be 'disused castle' (no capitalization needed), and 'opened alongside lifeboat' is unclear and grammatically awkward. The phrase 'made private for the hotel' is understandable but could be expressed more naturally. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'situated', 'adjacent to', or 'transformed into'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity, such as 'Showers and toilets are also made available for larger car park', which is missing a preposition and context. The sentence 'previously connected to the road emerging from the main road' is a bit convoluted. While your meaning is generally clear, there are frequent minor errors in articles and prepositions (e.g., 'alongside lifeboat' instead of 'alongside the lifeboat'). Improving your control over sentence structure and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help elevate your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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