Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18

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)

this two picture illustrate two diagram of Harbour one show 2000 year ago Harbour and other one is the today picture. Porth Harbour did not change much there are few changes are made like castle replace in to hotel and structure of porth quite modernized further more quantity of ship also raise.

firstly the position of castle is rebuild and converted in to a modern luxury hotel also has a road which connect hotel to life boat. Secondly in present time there is a addition of cafe for people to get some lanch. thirdly the two car parking is not shared with main road one is with main road in 2000 porth but now at present the two car parking have access of main road

however, in 2000 private yachs is located in northern side and fishing boats area next to it at sounthern end. there is a exchange of fishing boats and private yachs in presnt day moreover there is also a development in shipping area dock increase from one to two

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the harbour, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the addition of a cafe, and the changes in boat locations. However, the description is somewhat superficial. The overview is missing, which is a critical requirement for Task 1 to achieve a higher band. Some details are slightly inaccurate or unclear, such as the description of the car parking access and the 'shipping area dock' increase. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the overall trends in an introductory overview and focus on more precise reporting of the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'firstly', 'secondly', and 'thirdly'. There are also issues with referencing; for instance, 'the two car parking' is confusingly described. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, making it difficult to follow the comparison between the two time periods. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear logical flow between sentences would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are several spelling errors ('yachs' for yachts, 'lanch' for lunch, 'sounthern' for southern) and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'quantity of ship also raise' instead of 'the number of ships increased'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'modernized' and 'luxury hotel', the overall range is narrow. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing changes (e.g., 'converted', 'expanded', 'relocated') and ensure correct spelling of basic terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with articles ('the two picture', 'in 2000 year ago'), subject-verb agreement ('quantity of ship also raise'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple, and there is a lack of complex structures. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and periods. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct verb tenses for describing past and present states, and ensure that your sentences are grammatically complete.

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