Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02
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 diagrams compare the plans of Porth Harbour from 2000 and how it looks like today.
Certain changes are made to the harbour in present. New showers and toilets were introduced, moreover marina and fishing boats relocated. New cafe and shops opened and castle is now turned into hotel with private beach.
Previously main road extended to two car parks and only one had showers and toilets adjacent to marina in 2000. Today this marina is area for fishing boats and previously fishing boats area is now marina and is equipped with showers and toilets. On the other road cafes and shops opened next to life boat.
Public beach on the other side remained the same way. However, dock was extended. Ahead of the lifeboat was a disused castle with public beach nearby. Now the road is extended to this castle and is now converted to a hotel with a private beach.
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 response attempts to address all parts of the task by comparing the two maps of Porth Harbour, providing an overview of the main changes. However, some key features and comparisons are under-developed or described with limited detail. For instance, while the relocation of the marina and fishing boats is mentioned, the text lacks a fully cohesive overview of the overall spatial transformation. Ideas are presented, but they tend to be listed rather than thoroughly extended and supported, keeping the response at this level. To reach higher bands, the writer should ensure a more comprehensive selection of main features with clearer comparisons between the two time periods.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a basic overall arrangement, with information broken into separate paragraphs dealing with different areas of the harbour. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed and lacks a smooth, logical flow. Cohesive devices are used sparingly or rather mechanically, such as 'Moreover' and 'However', and referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in sentences like 'On the other road cafes and shops opened next to life boat.' Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within paragraphs needs better management. To improve, the writer should employ a wider and more natural variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence transitions smoothly into the next.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate basic changes such as 'relocated', 'converted', and 'extended'. However, the range is limited, and there are noticeable instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'how it looks like today' instead of 'how it looks today' or 'what it looks like today', and 'on the other road' instead of 'along the road'. Less common lexical items are attempted but occasionally lack precision. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a more flexible and precise range of vocabulary, avoiding repetitive phrasing and ensuring natural collocations throughout the description.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response relies heavily on a mix of simple and moderately complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures often feature grammatical inaccuracies. There are frequent errors involving articles, prepositions, and verb tenses, such as 'Certain changes are made to the harbour in present' and 'previously fishing boats area is now marina'. Punctuation and subject-verb agreement also show inconsistency, which occasionally places strain on the reader. To progress, the writer should focus on mastering basic sentence structures, ensuring accurate tense consistency when describing past and present map data, and improving the accuracy of grammatical patterns such as articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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