Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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 maps illustrate the information about the Porth Harbour from 2000 to today.

Overall, it is clear that there are several development arises over the given period. they added cafe & shops , showers & toilets , while castle replaced with hotel ,al though materina private yachts and fishing boats exchanged their place with each other.

In 2000, main road connect with one car parking with a single showers and toilets, and other car parking was connected at the junction of the road, after modification this road is connected with both car parking entrance situated on the west, have separated showers and toilets facility. Moreover, road in the south is shrinked to make new cafe shops. which is near the road and lifeboat, Likewise, in the southeast, castle and nearby empty area is also for used and converted into hotel.

By contrast, there is no changes took place in lifeboat, dock , both public beachs and passengers ferries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour, identifying key changes such as the addition of facilities and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. However, the overview is slightly disjointed, and some descriptions are imprecise, such as 'materina private yachts' (likely a typo for 'marina') and the vague description of the road changes. While the main features are reported, the comparison between the two time periods could be more clearly structured to highlight the transformation more effectively. The response meets the requirements of the task but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'after modification this road is connected' and the awkward transition 'Likewise, in the southeast'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the movement of the yachts and boats. While there is a logical progression from the overview to the specific details, the flow is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which impacts the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and occasionally inaccurate. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'materina' (marina), 'shrinked' (shrank), and 'beachs' (beaches). The student relies on basic vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'added' and 'exchanged their place'. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to use more precise terminology related to maps and urban development, such as 'expanded', 'redeveloped', or 'relocated', and ensure that spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with verb tense consistency ('there are several development arises'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. For example, 'main road connect with one car parking' should be 'the main road connected to a car park'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and incorrect capitalisation. While the student attempts some complex structures, they are often faulty. A greater focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for tense and agreement is necessary.

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

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