Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06
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 depicts the information about a port how it looks now and how it used to look in 26 years ago.
Overall, it is evident that, the harbour had gone under various changes, like construction of new buildings and facilities, along with replacement of infrastructure.
To start with, in 2000, harbour had a dock and a public beach in the north side, whereas, in the west direction it had facilities like two car parks along with showers and toilet. Moreover, in the south-east corner there was a castle besides the 2nd public beach.
Furthermore, it had changed a lot until now, new infrastructure is constructed like one more dock has been built, new showers and toilets has been constructed. While, locations of fishing boats and marina are switched. Additionally, new cafes and shops are built, whereas, castle is replaced by a hotel and a path is also established and the public beach in the south is converted into a private beach 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 successfully identifies the main features of the harbour in 2000 and the present day. You have highlighted key changes such as the addition of a dock, the conversion of the castle into a hotel, and the shift in beach status. However, the overview is slightly generic. To reach a higher band, ensure the overview synthesises the most significant trends (e.g., the transition from a more public/fishing-oriented space to a more commercial/tourist-focused one) rather than just stating that changes occurred. The description of the locations is generally accurate, though some details could be more precise to better guide the reader through the visual information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from the past to the present. You use some cohesive devices like 'To start with', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied transition words or by combining related points more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods, which is a positive feature of your structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes clearly. You use terms like 'infrastructure', 'converted', and 'established' effectively. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'harbour had gone under various changes' (should be 'undergone') and 'locations... are switched' (could be 'repositioned'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to maps and urban development, such as 'transformed', 'redeveloped', or 'replaced by'. The range is sufficient to communicate your meaning, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, there are issues with articles ('the harbour', 'the north side'), subject-verb agreement ('new showers and toilets has been constructed'), and tense usage ('in 26 years ago' is redundant). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they are noticeable and occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic agreement and article usage, and try to vary your sentence structures further to include more complex forms with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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