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 illustrate 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 and shops and more dockyard spaces have been added, including showers and 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In 2000, There was a disused castle in the corner of eastern and southern parts which has now been replaced by a hotel for passengers to relax. there was also a public beach on the side of castle which was replaced by private beach for the hotel. on the north side, dockyard space was demolished and made more space for dockyard.

On the western side Marina private yachts and fishing boats exchanged locations with each other and on the left side there was only car park where showers and toilets have now also 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 between the year 2000 and the present day. However, the overview is somewhat confused and difficult to follow, notably with phrasing such as 'while remain all exchange the location with each other and unchanged'. While the student succeeds in identifying several key alterations—such as the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel, the creation of new cafés and shops, and the switching of locations between the marina and the fishing boats—some descriptions are underdeveloped or inaccurate. For instance, stating that 'dockyard space was demolished and made more space for dockyard' is vague and imprecise. To move to a higher band, the writer needs to provide a clearer, more coherent overall summary and ensure that all main features and spatial shifts are described accurately without confusing language.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text shows some organisation with basic paragraphing that separates the introduction, overview, and specific spatial details, but overall progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical cohesion. The transition between sentences and ideas can feel abrupt, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where multiple changes are clustered together without logical sequencing markers. Cohesive devices are used in a basic or repetitive manner rather than flexibly. To achieve a higher level of coherence, the student should ensure that each paragraph builds logically upon the previous one, using precise referencing words and clearer logical connectors to guide the reader smoothly through the spatial comparisons from the maps.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The lexical range is limited but minimally adequate for fulfilling the basic requirements of the task. The student uses some appropriate vocabulary related to maps and changes, such as 'redevelopment', 'replaced', and 'demolished'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'dockyard space' instead of harbour or dock facilities, and 'left side' instead of the western part. Spelling and word formation are generally functional, but vocabulary control lacks the precision and flexibility needed for higher bands. To improve, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of precise geographical terms and collocations, avoiding repetitive phrasing and ensuring that words are used in their correct contexts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex forms that are often faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with article usage ('The porth harbour', 'a hotel', 'private beach'), capitalization ('The porth harbour', 'cafes'), subject-verb agreement, and prepositional phrases ('in the corner of eastern and southern parts'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing capital letters at the beginning of sentences. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To progress, the student must focus on improving sentence structure variety, mastering basic punctuation and capitalization, and reducing errors in articles and prepositions.

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

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