Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-04
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 diagram compares the plan of porth harbour in the year 2000. All of the porth harbour was accessible for public in the year 2000 but today some of the area is owned by private ownership.
To start with, there was just one boat dock but today there are 2 boat docks. The castle is today turned into the hotel and the beach near hotel is also a private property. Because of the private ownership there are more facilities and amenities accessible such as cafes and shops.
Secondly, the other significant difference between porth harbour 2000 and today is that marina yachts were used be where fishing boats were in 2000. The shower & toilets is also additionally available in the year 2000.
To conclude, there are some noticeable changes in porth harbour today. The major change is that some of the porth is today owned by private ownership.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response makes an attempt to summarise the main features of the harbour plans, noting transformations such as the addition of cafés and shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel with a private beach. However, the overview is limited, and the description lacks sufficient detail regarding spatial changes. For instance, the student states that 'the shower & toilets is also additionally available in the year 2000', which contradicts the visual data and causes confusion. Furthermore, several key features are omitted or described inaccurately, placing the task response at a restricted level where ideas are only partially developed and the overall format feels underdeveloped.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is organized into four distinct paragraphs, attempting a basic structure with introductory and concluding remarks. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression between ideas. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes used mechanically or inaccurately, such as transitioning with 'To start with' and 'Secondly', but failing to link the comparative spatial shifts logically. Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in the phrase 'porth harbour in the year 2000' functioning as a standalone fragment at the end of the first sentence. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion requires better signposting to guide the reader smoothly through the spatial comparisons.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic task, but the range is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on terms straight from the prompt such as 'harbour', 'car park', and 'fishing boats'. There are notable word choice and collocation issues, such as 'private ownership' instead of 'private use' or 'privatised', and 'marina yachts were used be where fishing boats were', which sounds awkward and unnatural. Some spelling and lexical errors occasionally impede smooth communication, reflecting a restricted control over word formation and precise terminology.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response employs a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic compound forms. Attempts at more complex structures often result in grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues in 'The shower & toilets is also additionally available' and awkward passive constructions like 'marina yachts were used be where fishing boats were'. There are frequent errors in article usage ('the plan of porth harbour', 'into the hotel') and prepositions. These frequent grammatical slips can cause occasional difficulty and strain for the reader.
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