Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-31
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 given diagram illustrates a difference between harbour of the plane in year 2000 and how it loos now.
In 2000 near the lifeboat in south east zone, there was no road connected to castle but in today's harbour porth diagram I can see a road connected to the hotel, also hotel took a place of castle now. In north area now there are two docks but in year 2000 there was only a dock. While coming to north west zone, there is now a added section named "Showers & toilets" after a car park area, so now there are two car park area with two showers & toilets. Marina is now replaced with Flashing boats and Flashing boats are swapped with marina. Near by the road "Cafe & Shops" have now been initiated which wasn't there in 2000.
Overall, now porth harbour is having 2 showers & toilets zone, cafe & shops area, a hotel and 2 docks.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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, the road, and the expansion of facilities. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. The reporting of data is occasionally imprecise, such as the confusing description of the marina and 'flashing boats' (which appears to be a misinterpretation of the map's legend). To reach a higher band, you should focus on grouping information more logically—for example, by categorising changes into infrastructure, facilities, and accommodation—rather than listing them sequentially. The summary paragraph is also quite brief and could be more descriptive of the overall trend.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a standard structure for this task. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'now' is used frequently to signal time). Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, making the text feel like a list of observations rather than a cohesive report. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your observations, such as 'In contrast to,' 'Furthermore,' or 'As a result of these developments.' Paragraphing is present, but the internal flow within paragraphs needs more sophisticated management.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are some inaccuracies, such as 'harbour of the plane' (likely a typo for 'plan') and the confusing reference to 'flashing boats,' which suggests a misunderstanding of the visual information. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors like 'there was' or 'there is.' To improve, incorporate more specific terminology related to urban planning and development, such as 'transformed,' 'expanded,' 'converted,' or 'modernised,' and ensure that your descriptions of the map features are accurate and clearly articulated.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect readability. Examples include 'harbour of the plane in year 2000' (missing articles), 'hotel took a place of castle' (incorrect article usage), and 'there are two car park area' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction is often clunky. To achieve a higher score, focus on using articles correctly, ensuring subject-verb agreement, and varying your sentence structures to include more complex forms, such as passive voice or relative clauses, while maintaining accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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