Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13
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 plan reveals the information of Porth harbour in 2000 and show how the harbour redeveloped at present time.
to initiate with, In 2000 there was a marina private yachts in the central-western. there was a fishing boat in the Habour and the dock and passenger ferry were located in the northen part. there was a public beach in the northeast side.
moreover lifeboat was situated near the southern part while castle (disused) was located on the eastern side. there was a cark park, showers and toilets were situated on western side. a road ran along the southern side.
On the other hand, Porth Habour has been much redevelopment. The marina area has been changed a beside of carpark , shops and cafe have been developed. the habour has become more developed for tourism and leisure and facilities for boats and visitors have changed. the castle remain an important landmark, new facilities have been added around the haour.
Overall, Porth Harbour has been undergoes redevelopment while many new facilities have been added including shops and cafe, hotels. In addition the Harbour has been expanded.
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 in 2000 and the present day. You have identified key changes, such as the addition of shops, cafes, and the expansion of the harbour. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention that the harbour has been redeveloped, a more effective overview would highlight the shift from a functional fishing/transport hub to a more tourism-oriented leisure facility. Some details, such as the specific locations of the new facilities, are slightly vague, which limits the clarity of the comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the past to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and occasionally mechanical (e.g., 'to initiate with', 'moreover', 'on the other hand'). Some sentences are disjointed, and the transition between the description of the 2000 layout and the current layout could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between ideas within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show relationships between the changes.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic verbs like 'was', 'situated', and 'developed'. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Habour' (repeatedly misspelled as 'Habour' or 'haour') and 'cark park'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and change, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'integrated', or 'infrastructure'. The current range is sufficient to convey the main points, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('a marina private yachts', 'a fishing boat'), prepositions ('on the western side'), and verb tenses ('has been undergoes'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles when describing locations.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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