Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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)

There are two map given of Porth Harbour out of which one is of 2000 and other shows present times. There are many area like Car park, Shower and Toilets, Fishing Boats, Passenger Ferries, Public Beach, Dock etc.

In 2000, only two roads are connected with main road one for car park and other goes to lifeboat. While at present time, one more road was added directly to car park through main road. In past, it has 1 dock while at present another dock is added compare to past. The area for fishing boats and marina in 2000 is interchange with each other in present time. The cafes and shops is also added beside lifeboats. In south side there was public beach in 2000 and at present it is converted into private beach for the hotel. The castle area beside public beach is converted into hotel and also a new road is added from hotel to road.

There are many change has occur if it is compared with 2000 and present time.

AI examiner evaluation

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 roads, the conversion of the public beach to a private one, and the development of the hotel. However, the overview is weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends, such as the overall modernisation and commercialisation of the site. The description of the 'interchange' of fishing boats and the marina is slightly unclear, and the report would benefit from more precise comparisons of the spatial layout to fully meet the requirements for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response 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 mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In 2000', 'at present time', 'in past'). The transition between ideas within paragraphs is sometimes abrupt, and the final paragraph is redundant, as it simply restates that changes have occurred without adding any new information or synthesis. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. You rely on basic verbs like 'added', 'connected', and 'converted'. While these convey the meaning, they do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'two map given' (should be 'two maps are given') and 'present times' (should be 'the present day'). To improve, try to incorporate more descriptive terms related to urban development and geographical changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement and tense usage. For example, 'There are two map given' should be 'There are two maps provided', and 'The cafes and shops is also added' should be 'The cafes and shops have also been added'. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and when you attempt more complex constructions, errors often occur. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over passive voice structures and ensure consistency in tense usage when describing past and present states.

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

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