Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-24

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 two plans show the difference betwwen the structure of a harbour over the yeras. The first plan describes how it used to look in 2000 and the second plan gives the information on how it is in present.

The Porth Harbour in 2000 had a quite minimal plan with only one area allocated to Showers and toilet with a Marina beside it. Other than this the Harbour had Public beach and a Castle near to it. Moreover Other locations include a Car park, Fishing boats, Dock and one more Public beach.

However in present time the Harbour has changed alot, the Castle has been converted to a hotel with making the beach beside it private and only reserved for the hotel. Moreover an area for Cafes and shops has been added beside Lifeboats section. Other changes include an addition of Shpwers and toilets. Lastly the Fishing boats area and the Marina have been relocated to each others spot.

In Conclusion the Harbour has been gone through some advancements. More cites have been added and one Beach is still open for Public to visit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student covers the main changes shown in the two maps, noting the conversion of the castle to a hotel, the addition of cafés and shops, the extra showers and toilets, and the swapping of locations between the fishing boats and the marina. An overview is present, though it is quite brief. While the key features are mentioned, some details are slightly imprecise (e.g. 'Marina beside it' in 2000 compared to the actual layout), and the response could have provided a more integrated comparison rather than listing changes sequentially. However, all parts of the prompt are addressed adequately, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is arranged into four paragraphs, providing a logical overall structure with an introduction, body paragraphs detailing the features and changes, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly' are used to connect ideas, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is handled reasonably well, separating the introduction, the 2000 state, current changes, and the conclusion. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional clunkiness in phrasing slightly affects the overall flow, placing it firmly at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'allocated', 'relocated', and 'advancements'. However, there are several noticeable spelling errors (e.g., 'betwwen', 'yeras', 'alot', 'Shpwers', 'cites' instead of sites) and word-choice inaccuracies (e.g., 'has been gone through some advancements'). While the range is sufficient to convey the main message, the frequency of spelling mistakes and lexical slips restricts the score to Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The first plan describes how it used to look in 2000 and the second plan gives the information on how it is in present.' There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout the text, including preposition choices ('in present time', 'to each others spot') and participial clauses ('with making the beach beside it private'). These errors occur frequently but do not impede overall communication, which aligns well with the Band 5.5 descriptors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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