Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-06

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 given image illustrates and compares the significant changes that took place in Porth Harbour from the year 2000 until today.

In the year 2000 we can notice that there is only one dock for boats but, it increased and they had to allot three spaces for boats at the dock. we can also observe that there was vacant space on the road in the year 2000 which furthermore developed and constructed new cafes and shops in that given space.

There was also a castle which was further replaced by a hotel for the tourist to stay in.

We can also notice that there was increase in showers and toilets might be due to increase in footfall in the area. But somethings that remained unchanged was public beach car park areas and lifeboat.

Overall, this shows significant growth and development of Porth Harbour from the year 2000 until today.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour, such as the increase in docking spaces, the addition of cafes and shops, and the replacement of the castle with a hotel. However, the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall development of the task. While the main changes are identified, the description lacks detail regarding the specific layout or the scale of these changes. The overview is present but could be more comprehensive in summarising the overall trend of modernisation. Because the word count is below the threshold, the task achievement is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the phrase 'We can also notice' is used twice in close proximity, which makes the flow feel a bit stilted. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the description of the harbour and the final summary could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure would benefit from a more sophisticated range of linking words to connect the observations more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'there is only one dock' and 'vacant space' are functional but lack the precision expected at higher bands. There is an attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'footfall' and 'modernisation' (implied by 'development'), but the range is limited. Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'allot three spaces for boats', which does not accurately describe the expansion of the dock. To improve, you should focus on using more precise verbs and nouns related to urban development and geographical change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'somethings that remained unchanged was', where subject-verb agreement is incorrect. Additionally, punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and the lack of capitalisation at the start of some sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy in subject-verb agreement will be key to improvement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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