Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15
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 illustrates the harbour looked in 2000 versus how it looks at present.
overall, the Porth Harbour undergone dramatical transformations from the one in 2000. The main changes are the Marina(private yachts) and fishing boats have interchanged their locations.
The area at the car parks is utilised to showers & toilets. The Docks are increased from one to two. Also on the south, new cafes and shops are constructed. And the disused castle has modified into a new hotel with a private beach which is a public beach in 2000.
At present, the main road and the way to car parking didn't changed anything on the Northwest side but on the southwest, the way to car park is directly from the main road now. Also fishing boats are shifted to the marina's area. While the marina private yachts occupied the fishing boats area. Previously, only one dock is available near the passenger ferries. However, it is developed to two docks now.
Coming to south, in 2000, there is a road which is a way for the car park and to the lifeboat. But now, the way to the car park is via the main road itself. The road in the south leads to newly constructed cafes and shops aside of the lifeboat. Also, a new road is constructed via the south road directing to the hotel which is earlier a disused castle. And the public beach is now converted into a private beach for the hotel.
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 all key features of the harbour plans, including the relocation of boats, the addition of facilities, and the conversion of the castle. The overview is present, though it could be more effectively integrated. While the main features are identified, the description is sometimes repetitive, particularly regarding the movement of boats and the car park access. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more concise and avoid listing every minor detail, focusing instead on the most significant transformations to provide a more analytical summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of changes. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Also', 'And', 'While'). Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the logical flow within paragraphs could be improved by grouping related changes more effectively rather than jumping between locations. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure would benefit from more sophisticated linking words to connect the ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the changes. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'dramatical transformations' (though this is a collocation error) and 'disused'. However, there are several inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'interchanged their locations' and 'modified into' (should be 'converted into'). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but the lack of precision and occasional awkward phrasing limit the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The plans illustrates', 'the Porth Harbour undergone', 'the way to car parking didn't changed') and incorrect preposition usage. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and tense consistency prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to verb forms and sentence construction is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.