Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-05
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 plans illustrate the changes that took place in a harbour between 2000 and today.
Overall, the area underwent significant changes with major changes such as conversion of disused castle into hotel and addition of cafes, showers and toilets. In particular, marina brought closer to the road to the hotel now.
In 2000, there was no entertainment or place to stay on the island. Even showers and toilets were only available on the northwest of the harbour near the main road. While, fishing boats were located in the center.
Now, the disused castle is converted into the hotel. There is addition of a private beach for only people who are staying in the hotel. Cafes and shops are added for the entertainment of the people. Now private yatchs are near to the hotel so people can enjoy it too, while fishing boats are relocated towards north. There are two facilities of showers and toilets now. There were only one passenger ferries but now there are two.
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's transformation well. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the relocation of the fishing boats. However, the overview is slightly repetitive, and some details could be more precisely described. For instance, the mention of 'marina brought closer to the road' is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant trends (e.g., the shift from a functional fishing harbour to a leisure-oriented facility) rather than just listing individual changes. Overall, the task is addressed clearly and the main features are reported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the past state to the current developments. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as the transition 'While, fishing boats were located in the center.' Additionally, some sentences feel disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the past and present states, which helps the reader follow the comparison.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'disused,' 'conversion,' 'relocated,' and 'entertainment.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'marina brought closer to the road to the hotel now' and 'people can enjoy it too.' The phrasing is sometimes simplistic, and there is a lack of more sophisticated, topic-specific vocabulary that would demonstrate a wider range. Focusing on more precise collocations related to urban planning or geographical changes would help elevate your score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the' marina, 'the' hotel), incorrect verb forms ('marina brought closer'), and awkward phrasing ('There were only one passenger ferries'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as these errors occur frequently throughout the text. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help you achieve a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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