Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-01

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 maps illustrates how porth harbour has changed since it first opened in 2000.

overall, the porth harbour has undergone significant redevelopment, with many original features being removed or replaced. cafes & shops and more dockyard spaces have been added, including showers & toilets, public beach and hotel, while remain all exchange the location with each other and unchanged.

in 2000, there was a disused castle in the corner of eastern and southern part which has now been replaced by hotel for passenger to a relax. there was also public beach into the side of castle which was replaced by private beach for the hotel. on the north side dockyard space was demolished and make more space for dockyard.

on the western side marina parivate yachts and fishing boats exchanged his location with each other and on the left side has only cark park where now showers & toilets also has been added. outside the fishing boats and left side the lifeboats in empty space now cafes and shops has been created.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially, attempting to present an overview of the changes in Porth Harbour between 2000 and today. However, the selection of features lacks clarity and contains inaccuracies regarding locations and modifications. For instance, the text states that the marina and fishing boats 'exchanged his location', which captures a key spatial shift, but other descriptions are confusing or vague, such as claiming the castle was replaced by a hotel 'for passenger to a relax'. The overview is somewhat repetitive and mechanically structured, mentioning that features were removed, replaced, or remained unchanged without fully synthesising the overall spatial transformation. To reach a higher standard, the writer needs to select the most salient features more precisely and present a clearer, more accurate summary of the visual data without confusing spatial details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response shows some basic organisation with an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs detailing different areas of the maps. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression, and the logical flow is disrupted by awkward transitions and confusing referencing. For example, sentences like 'outside the fishing boats and left side the lifeboats in empty space now cafes and shops has been created' are difficult to follow due to poor spatial referencing. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately, and paragraphing is underdeveloped, with ideas grouped somewhat arbitrarily rather than following a logical geographic or thematic progression. Improving cohesion would require smoother transitional phrases, clearer pronoun referencing, and a more structured approach to grouping spatial information.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited and barely adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word formation that occasionally cause strain for the reader. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'redevelopment', 'demolished', and 'exchanged', but these are often accompanied by inaccuracies, as seen in phrases like 'marina parivate yachts' (spelling), 'for passenger to a relax' (word form and collocation), and 'cark park' (spelling). Repetition of basic terms like 'dockyard space', 'beach', and 'fishing boats' is evident throughout the response. To achieve a higher band, the writer must expand their vocabulary range, use precise terms for geographical features, and ensure correct word forms and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and basic clauses. Attempts at complex sentence forms are frequently faulty, leading to frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('the two maps illustrates'), missing articles ('replaced by hotel', 'was also public beach'), incorrect prepositions ('in the corner of eastern and southern part'), and awkward passive constructions ('has been created'). Punctuation and capitalization are also inconsistent, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters. These frequent errors distract the reader and impede comprehension. To improve, the writer needs to demonstrate better control over basic sentence patterns, master article usage, and incorporate error-free complex structures.

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

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