Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-27
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 layout illustrates a harbour in 2000 and the present day.
Overall, the plan compares the changes that have taken place in Porth Harbour, with different facilities being added or replaced. Firstly, Cafes and shops were introduced and Castle was replaced.
At the beginning, on the western direction, Marina private yachts were replaced by Fishing boats and Fishing boats were replaced by Marina private yachts, followed by another Showers and toilets were added on the western side. Moreover, At the northern direction one more boat was introduced.
On the northern and southern direction, Cafes and shops were launched, which will attract local people for shopping. Furthermore, at the eastern-southern direction, Castle was replaced by Hotel and access of private beach is given to the members of hotel. At last, a road was linked to reach the hotel.
To sum up, Porth Harbour underwent significant development with various modernization being added.
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 student attempts to summarise the main changes between the two maps, noting the replacement of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel. However, there are several misinterpretations of the visual data. For instance, the student states that on the western side 'Marina private yachts were replaced by Fishing boats and Fishing boats were replaced by Marina private yachts', which confuses the north and south water basins. Furthermore, the overview is rather basic ('with different facilities being added or replaced'), and some features are described with speculation, such as stating the cafes 'will attract local people for shopping', which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. This places the response at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has an identifiable structure with an introduction, body details, and a brief concluding summary. However, the progression of ideas lacks clarity, particularly due to confusing spatial references such as 'At the beginning, on the western direction' and repetitive transitional phrases like 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'At last'. Paragraphing is somewhat rudimentary, and referencing within the text is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the precise spatial shifts between 2000 and the present day. Cohesive devices are used mechanically rather than flexibly. This corresponds to a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary relevant to maps and changes, such as 'introduced', 'replaced', and 'facilities'. However, word choice and collocations are sometimes awkward or inaccurate, as seen in phrases like 'on the western direction', 'access of private beach', and 'various modernization being added'. There are also minor lexical lapses and awkward phrasing that restrict precision. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient to convey the general message, fitting the Band 5.5 descriptor well.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The layout illustrates a harbour in 2000 and the present day' and 'Cafes and shops were introduced and Castle was replaced.' There are notable grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout, including missing articles ('Castle was replaced', 'access of private beach', 'to reach the hotel') and prepositional errors ('on the western direction'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a higher band. This earns a Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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