Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20
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 plans below illustrate the changes made to a harbour in 2000 and how it looks nowadays.
Overall, in the past there was only one dock for the yachts but now there are two docks. The castle is being replaced by a hotel while the locations of fishing boats and marina private yachts are interchanged.
To begin with, in 2000 the map consisted of several buildings, to the south-east there was a castle with a public beach beside it. On to the north a dock which could acommodate only two ferries. Two car parks with shower and toilets were located to the west of the map with a main road leading towards lifeboat area. Marina private yachts and fishing boats were also placed there.
Currently the map has experienced some alteration, firstly one more dock is constructed for the ships. The road is elongated towards the hotel which was previously a castle and the private beach is now owned by that hotel. Near to the main road the number of toilets is now doubled with the same car parks as in 2000. The areas of fishing boats and marina private yachts are changed with one another. At the end cafe and shops are also constructed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses the main features of the prompt by outlining the key transformations that occurred between 2000 and the present day at Porth Harbour. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the swapping of the marina and fishing boats, the expansion of the dock, and the replacement of the castle with a hotel. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or confusingly phrased, such as stating that in 2000 'there was only one dock for the yachts' and mentioning a dock accommodating ferries. The student covers all parts of the prompt well, though the development of some details is slightly limited, placing it in the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is structured logically into four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, a description of the past layout, and a description of the current layout. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the plans, such as 'To begin with', 'Currently', and 'firstly'. However, some transitions and referencing feel a bit mechanical or abrupt, for example 'On to the north a dock' and 'At the end cafe and shops are also constructed.' Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, but overall progression could be smoother. This aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing maps, such as 'interchanged', 'elongated', 'constructed', and 'alteration'. There are some successful attempts to use less common vocabulary, but also noticeable word choice and collocation issues, such as 'the map has experienced some alteration', 'the number of toilets is now doubled', and 'the road is elongated towards the hotel'. Spelling is generally accurate, but some phrasing sounds unnatural. This fits the criteria for Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and passive constructions like 'one more dock is constructed' and 'which was previously a castle'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout, such as 'there was only one dock for the yachts but now there are two docks' (tense consistency issue), 'the locations of fishing boats and marina private yachts are interchanged', and 'acommodate' (spelling slip). Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, supporting a Band 6 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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