Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-21
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 changes of porth harbour in 2000 to still now.
Overall, harbour is more advanced today as compared to the harbour in 2000 along the addition of cafes, shops, yachts and hotel.
There are various similarities for example, area occupied by showers and toilets also car park remain at the same with addition of one more showers and toilets at the west side above the cark parking area in today harbour followed by exchange has been observed among marina and fishing boats area. One more prominent variation is replacement of castle with hotel at the south east corner of the harbour. In contrast, addition of one more dock in today harbour is more convenient for the public that is occupied besides the public beach. For public convince, cafes and shops are also advantageous change at the south.
Finally, passengers ferriers are remained same while, private beach is now specifically mentioned 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 the main features of the harbour's transformation, such as the addition of the hotel, cafes, and the reconfiguration of the marina. However, the report lacks a clear, structured overview and the description of changes is somewhat disjointed. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the two time periods could be more analytical. The mention of 'exchange has been observed among marina and fishing boats' is vague and lacks clarity regarding the spatial shift. To improve, ensure that the overview clearly highlights the most significant trends, such as the shift from a more industrial/fishing-focused harbour to a more commercial and leisure-oriented one.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast' and 'Finally', but they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately. For instance, the transition between the description of the car park and the marina is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes described. Improving the use of cohesive devices to link ideas more fluidly and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'porth harbour' (likely a misspelling of 'port') and 'today harbour' instead of 'the harbour today'. Phrases like 'more advanced' are somewhat vague in this context. The student attempts to use specific terminology like 'marina' and 'ferries', but the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise descriptive language (e.g., 'undergone significant redevelopment', 'replaced by', 'situated at') and improving collocation accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles ('the harbour', 'the car park'), incorrect verb forms ('passengers ferriers are remained same'), and awkward syntax ('along the addition of'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and sentence construction would lead to more accurate and professional-sounding writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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