Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-24
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 map illustrates the porth harbour in 2000 and how it looks today after some developments.
Overall, the harbour grew more towards tourism. The development of some areas can be seen today, which are a hotel, showers and toilets, cafes and shops, while some areas remain as they are, which are the public beach on the northern end, lifeboat and car parking.
To begin with, the major development is the castle converted into a hotel, followed by the public beach near the castle converted into the private beach of hotel. In addition, the new cafes is opened just beside the lifeboat and near the road which connects to the hotel.
In 2000, the dock was only one, which doubled today, along with one new passenger ferry. In the west end of porth harbour contains two car parking and only one shower and toilets in 2000, and with developed and a new showers and toileting area opened. The area of fishing boats and marina have swapped and took each others place by today
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 development, such as the conversion of the castle, the expansion of the docks, and the changes to the marina and fishing areas. However, the report lacks precision in describing the spatial layout. For instance, stating that the fishing boats and marina 'swapped' is a good observation, but the description of the western end is slightly confusing. While the main trends are identified, the overview could be more analytical by grouping features more effectively. The response addresses all parts of the prompt, but the lack of clear, comparative data points (such as the specific increase in docks) limits the depth of the analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific changes. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition', and 'In 2000' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and some sentences feel disjointed. For example, the transition between the description of the docks and the western end of the harbour is abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the use of 'which are' and 'which is' becomes repetitive, which slightly hinders the natural progression of ideas. Improved use of referencing and varied linking words would enhance the cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the changes (e.g., 'converted', 'developed', 'swapped'). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the new cafes is opened' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'toileting area' (unnatural phrasing). The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'expanded', 'relocated', or 'redeveloped'. While the meaning is clear throughout, the lack of variety and occasional awkward phrasing prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('the new cafes is opened', 'the west end... contains') and article usage ('the dock was only one'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'the public beach near the castle converted into the private beach of hotel'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex structures. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and correct article placement would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.
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.