Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-28
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 figure illustrates the comparison of the harbour in 2000 and today. It shows the development and changes occurred in the harbour till now.
In 2000 showers and toilet availibility was limited so it expanded and created a new ones just inside of the car park. Fishing boats and marina private yachts swappeds their places.
With time the number of private and public yachts increased which increase the dock.
South side of the harbour got three major developments. The top noticing are new cafes and shops for providing tourists good food and refreshments , second one is conversion of disused castle into new hotel for facilitating tourits. Third major change is providing some space on the south end of private beach to build hotels.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you identify key changes such as the relocation of fishing boats and the addition of cafes and hotels, the analysis is underdeveloped. You mention the 'south side' developments but fail to provide a comprehensive overview or a clear comparison of the overall layout. To improve, you must ensure all significant features are described in detail and that the response meets the length requirement to allow for a full development of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, phrases like 'second one is' and 'Third major change' are used to list developments, but the transition between the introduction and the body is abrupt. The paragraphing is present but lacks a logical progression that guides the reader through the changes effectively. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several awkward phrasings, such as 'showers and toilet availibility was limited' and 'swappeds their places'. The term 'top noticing' is non-standard and does not effectively convey the intended meaning. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing maps, such as 'relocated', 'converted', or 'expanded', and ensure correct word forms are used throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'changes occurred in the harbour' (should be 'that have occurred'), 'which increase the dock' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'facilitating tourits' (spelling error). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage when describing past and present states, and proofreading for basic spelling mistakes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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