Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-30
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 how the layout of a Porth harbour changed between 2000 to today.
Overall, the areas underwent significant development. Several new facility facilities were added, while some existing buildings were removed or relocated. On the north-west side Marina (Private yachts) had replaced with west-sout fishing boats. The number of passenger ferries had increased from 2 to 3. The new shower & toilets had built above car park in left of west-south side.
whereas in the
South-East corner castle
disused was replaced by hotel. Even though,
The Public beach had
changed to private beach
for hotel residents.
The cafes & shops
Was built alongside the
Lifeboat in the south
side. Dock was
presented in Public
beach in 2000, while
in today it is present
with Passenger ferries.
The hotel road had linked
with lifeboat road
that went towards
main road of South-west
corner. The public beach in north corner had remained same.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main features of the harbour, such as the addition of the hotel, the change in beach status, and the expansion of ferry services. However, the report is somewhat fragmented and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. While the key changes are mentioned, the description of locations is occasionally confusing (e.g., 'west-south side'), which makes it difficult for the reader to visualize the changes accurately. To improve, ensure that the main trends are clearly synthesized in the introduction and that the spatial relationships between features are described with greater precision and clarity.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay suffers from poor paragraphing and disjointed sentence structure. The text is presented in a series of short, choppy sentences that lack logical flow. Cohesive devices are largely absent or misused, making the progression of ideas feel mechanical and difficult to follow. For example, the transition between the description of the hotel and the cafes is abrupt. To reach a higher band, you should group related information into distinct paragraphs (e.g., one for changes to the water/docks and one for land-based facilities) and use a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate to convey the basic meaning, but it is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word-choice errors, such as 'facility facilities' (repetition), 'had replaced with' (incorrect passive voice), and 'had built' (incorrect tense). The use of 'west-south side' is imprecise. To improve, focus on using more accurate terminology for map descriptions, such as 'situated in the north-west,' 'replaced by,' or 'converted into.' Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and prepositions will help you achieve a more professional and precise tone.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding verb tenses and passive voice construction. For instance, 'had replaced with' should be 'was replaced by,' and 'had built' should be 'were built.' Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'cafes & shops Was built.' The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the lack of proper punctuation further hinders readability. To improve, practice the correct formation of the passive voice, which is essential for describing changes in maps, and focus on ensuring that your subjects and verbs agree in number.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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