Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-03
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 provided plans illustrate how a harbour used to look in 2000 and how it looks today.
Overall, there are several changes in todays harbour for example Marina and Fishing boats placed has changed their position with each other, while there was only lifeboat at the end of the road, nowadays cafes and shops are available beside the lifeboat. In these days there are some more things added like hotel, private beach.
In 2000, one parking was with main road and another was with the inside the harbour road but in todays both car parkings are linked with the main road. However, one extra showers & toilets has been added in south side. Marina has taken the place of fishing boats at new harbour and cafes and shops has been introduced in recent harbour place at the south-west part.
While there was castle in old design having public beachs in north and south part but nowadays there is a hotel in castle's place with dadicated private beach for the hotel at south part of harbour. The dock for passenger ferries remain same at both design at north-east part.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by summarizing the main changes to Porth Harbour between 2000 and the present day. An overview is attempted, noting key shifts such as the swapping of positions between the marina and fishing boats, and the addition of tourist amenities like a hotel and a private beach. However, some details are under-developed or imprecise, such as the claim that 'one parking was with main road and another was with the inside the harbour road' and the slightly confusing descriptions of the rearranged facilities. Overall, the information presented is generally relevant and covers the principal features, positioning the response appropriately.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response displays a coherent overall arrangement with a discernible attempt at paragraphing, moving from an introductory overview into body paragraphs detailing specific structural changes. Progression is occasionally hindered by mechanical or faulty cohesive devices, such as abrupt transitions ('In these days', 'In 2000, one parking was with main road... but in todays both car parkings...'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the links between sentences can feel disjointed or repetitive, preventing a smoother, more logical flow throughout the essay.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The writer employs an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'amenities', 'relocated', and descriptive references to the harbour features. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word formation, including phrases like 'todays harbour', 'fishing boats placed', 'parking', 'dadicated', and 'remain same at both design'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they highlight the limitations in lexical precision and control expected at higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to use subordination and comparison clauses (e.g., 'While there was castle in old design having public beachs...'). However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly missing articles ('a hotel', 'the castle's place'), incorrect prepositions ('with main road', 'at south part'), and tense inconsistencies ('remain same at both design'). While the meaning can generally be deciphered, these persistent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a limited grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.