Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 a harbour how it was looked in 2000 and how it looks today.

Overall, a harbour has some changes in today compare to it past like castle replace by hotel and showers and toilets are added.

In today, cafes and shops are added near the lifeboat , while one boat place added and it becomes two boat parking. Marina private yachts and fishing boats place are exchanged ,while shower and toilets remained same at that place. showers and toilets added near by second car park.

Cafes and shops are constructed near the lifeboat. Private beach ownership changed and hotel owned it now. One doc added near by public beach. passenger ferries remained same at place, while a road new build from hotel to lifeboat. A boat is added on the dock, while passenger ferries in no major changes it remained same at that place. Road which meet lifeboat remained same.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies the main features of the harbour, such as the replacement of the castle with a hotel and the addition of shops and cafes. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the key changes are mentioned, the information is not always presented clearly, and some details are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the description of the boat parking. To improve, ensure that you group information logically—for example, by focusing on infrastructure, facilities, and the waterfront separately—and provide a more cohesive summary of the overall transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical or misused, such as the repetitive use of 'while' and 'at that place'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes between the two maps. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus, such as 'additions' versus 'removals' or 'infrastructure' versus 'facilities'.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'added', 'remained', and 'place'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'one boat place added' and 'a road new build'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly unclear. To improve, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary related to maps and urban development, such as 'constructed', 'converted', 'extended', or 'demolished'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you convey the changes more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a high frequency of grammatical errors, including issues with articles ('the harbour', 'a road'), verb tenses ('how it was looked'), and sentence structure ('In today, cafes and shops are added'). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the existing sentences are often simple or contain errors that impede the flow of information. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing locations on a map. Practising the passive voice would also be highly beneficial for describing changes in a formal report.

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