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 given maps diagrams compares the Porth Harbour at present and over two decades, before changes were made to its layout.
Overall, it is clear that harbour has been significantly improved and modernised their infrastructure, to conclude most tourist friendly facilities and convenient layout.
In the year 2000, there was one dock in the north of the harbour right next to public beach, While the beach has remained unchanged and another dock has been added. Marina located near the dock occopied the smaller sector in the comparison to the fishing boats; however these two facilities has been interchanged to provide more space for private yachts.
Another striking development is a disused castle on the eastern peninsular that has been renovated and has been turned to a hotel with the adjacent of private beach and the road. It is notable the tourist flow has been stimulated to the construction of the shops and cafes to the south-west of the hotel. Now car parked and showers & toilets construct on the west side of the harbour and it can be accessed through by main road.
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 successfully identifies the main overall changes and highlights key differences between the two maps, such as the exchange of the marina and fishing boat areas, the addition of a second dock, and the conversion of the disused castle into a hotel. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, which meets the core requirements of Task 1. However, some specific details are slightly imprecise, and certain descriptions, such as 'car parked and showers & toilets construct', lack clarity due to awkward phrasing and grammatical errors. Nevertheless, all parts of the visual information are addressed adequately, placing this response securely at Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is structured into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that attempt to sequence the spatial information logically. Cohesive devices and transition markers such as 'Overall', 'While', and 'however' are used to connect ideas, though some referencing and transitions feel somewhat mechanical. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of details could be more cohesive. For instance, mixing the discussion of the hotel, shops, and western facilities in the final paragraph creates a slightly disjointed flow. Overall arrangement is coherent, but progression is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, warranting a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'interchanged', 'peninsular', and 'stimulated'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors throughout the text, including 'maps diagrams compares', 'tourist friendly facilities', 'occopied', and 'car parked'. Spelling and word formation errors (e.g., 'peninsular' instead of 'peninsula', 'construct' instead of 'constructed') occasionally surface. While the range is sufficient to convey the main points, the inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching a higher band. Therefore, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'that has been renovated and has been turned to a hotel'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in verb forms, voice, and subject-verb agreement, such as 'harbour has been significantly improved and modernised their infrastructure', 'these two facilities has been interchanged', and 'car parked and showers & toilets construct on the west side'. While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning of the text, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score, placing the grammar at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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