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 map illustrates how harbour changed between the year 2000 and present, highlighting the major alterations took palce during this period.
Overall, the harbour underwent considerable redevelopment with several new facilities being introduced and existing areas being modified. While some features such as, public beach remained unchanged, surrounding areas experienced substiantial transformation.
Turning to the north part of the map, docks are double in the present era with the addition of a boat, while passenger ferries and public beach remained unchanged throughout the period.
Moving to the southern part of the map. The castle in the year 2000 which is unused by the people is completely transformed to a hotel on the south east part of the map. Moreover, Cafes and shops are being constructed adjacent to lifeboat area, resulting in further develeopment of this area. Marina private yatchs are switched to fishing ar
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response is incomplete because it falls below the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly at 144 words. While the writer attempts to summarise the main features of the harbour changes between 2000 and the present, the coverage is only partial. Key changes such as the swapping of the marina and fishing boat locations are cut off mid-sentence at the end of the text. Furthermore, some reported details are imprecise or inaccurate; for example, stating that docks 'are double' misinterprets the addition of a second boat at the jetty. An overview is present, but due to the truncation and undeveloped descriptions, the task is only partially addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs addressing different parts of the map. Transitional phrases such as 'Turning to the north part' and 'Moving to the southern part' are used to guide the reader through the visual data. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, such as the abrupt sentence boundary error in 'Moving to the southern part of the map. The castle...' Furthermore, the sudden cut-off at the very end disrupts the logical progression of the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, providing basic descriptions of the changes. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'redevelopment', 'alterations', and 'adjacent', but these are accompanied by noticeable spelling and word choice errors. Examples of lexical slips include 'palce' instead of 'place', 'substiantial' instead of 'substantial', and 'yatchs' instead of 'yachts'. Additionally, awkward phrasing like 'docks are double' indicates limited precision in lexical control, which occasionally causes confusion for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing displays a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside a few attempts at complex forms which are frequently faulty. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense and voice inaccuracies such as 'how harbour changed' (missing article), 'alterations took palce' (unmarked relative clause), and 'Cafes and shops are being constructed' combined with inconsistent present/past framing. Punctuation and sentence boundary issues are also present, notably the fragment 'The castle in the year 2000 which is unused by the people is completely transformed'. These frequent errors place strain on the reader.
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