Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-08
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 following plan shows how a porth harbor was in year 2000 and how it looks today. There has been several changes we can notice the introduction of cafes and shops, to the south-east direction we can see the hotel was built with private beach only exclusively for the hotel, earlier it was castle which is disued, and at last see the dock has been added for passenger ferries.
In the year 2000, to the south of the harbour there was open place but now cafes and shops were built beside the life boats. On the other sde of the road to the south they introduces hotel which was castle before and also made a private beach only for hotel members.
Turning to the present day it can be seen that marina for private yachts were replacced by fishing boats, beside to the marina it can seen that showers and toilets were built. Moreover there are several changes from the year 2000 to the present in porth harbour.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the harbour, such as the addition of shops, cafes, the hotel, and the dock. However, the report lacks a clear overview, which is essential for a Band 6 or higher. The description of the changes is somewhat disjointed, and some information is inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that the marina was replaced by fishing boats, which is not clearly supported by the visual evidence. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the most significant trends or changes in the introduction or as a separate overview paragraph, and ensure all descriptions are precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'at last see the dock' and 'on the other sde of the road'. The progression of ideas is sometimes unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the transition between the marina and the general summary is abrupt. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') would help the flow of the response significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors (e.g., 'porth', 'disued', 'sde', 'replacced') and some awkward phrasing, such as 'open place' instead of 'open space'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to maps and changes, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'extended', or 'demolished', and ensure accurate spelling throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'There has been several changes', 'they introduces hotel', and 'it can seen that'. Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are problematic throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring correct verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, will lead to immediate improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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