Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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 map illustrates the comparison between the map of the Porth Harbour in the year 2000 to the current situation. Its clearly visible that the site have developed in a number of ways in these 2.5 decades.

In 2000 when you turn right you have two car parking areas and only the farther one have showers and toilets; Conversely, these days these days both the car parking areas have showers and toilets near them.

While moving east to the car parking in 2000 you will have Marina (private yachts) at north side parking and Fishing boats at south side parking, but now you will have them at each other places as they have been changes with each other.

Moreover, in 2000 there was only one Dock near the Public beach but presently there are two Docks.

There is also addition of cafes and shops near the Lifeboats. Castle is also replaced by the hotel and public beach near castle is now the property of the hotel.

Overall, the Porth Harbour developed a lot in these year. There are a number of addition such as showers and toilets, Docks, cafes and shops, hotels and also private beach for family entertainment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the harbour, such as the addition of facilities and the reconfiguration of the docks. However, the response lacks a clear overview that synthesises the most significant changes, such as the general shift towards increased commercialisation and tourism. While you mention several details, the description of the locations is occasionally imprecise (e.g., 'at each other places'), which makes it difficult for the reader to visualise the changes clearly. To reach a higher band, ensure that your overview highlights the most striking trends rather than just listing individual modifications.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'While moving east to the car parking in 2000 you will have...'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the movement of the yachts and fishing boats. The transition between the description of the parking areas and the docks could be smoother to improve the overall flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'illustrates', 'comparison', and 'reconfigured'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'they have been changes with each other' and 'at each other places'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your report. Expanding your vocabulary to include more specific terms for spatial description and change would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the site have developed', 'the farther one have showers') and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some awkward phrasings that affect the clarity of the sentences. To improve, focus on ensuring that your verbs agree with their subjects and that you maintain a consistent tense when describing past states versus current ones.

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

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