Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-06

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 the before and after of porth Harbour.

Overall, not many major changes have been done since 2000 to present. The changes amde in Porth Harbour are more like leisure types of changes.

The map shows when entered from Main road from north side the car park and above that showers and toilets are kept as it is. However, towards east side previously where the Marina (Private yachts) where present it it now moved to the front side of it. And the positions of .Marina (Private yachts) and fishing boats is interchanged with each other. In the same east side in 2000 only one dock was present however, in today's map one more dock has been added. The passenger ferries are also kept as it is.

Exact opposite of this where first Castle( discused) were existed which is also got replaced by Hotel in today's date. In continue of that one small road is added which goes to newely added cafes and shops. From here towards Main road in front of car park showers and toilets are newly added.

In conclusion, the Porth Harbour is now converted into leisure place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad transformation from harbour facilities towards leisure use, and you report several key changes: the marina and fishing-boat areas switch places, a hotel replaces the disused castle, and cafés and shops are added. These are relevant features and give the response a clear overall direction. However, the overview that “not many major changes” have occurred understates the scale of redevelopment, and some details are unclear or inaccurate: the northern dock gains an additional jetty and accommodates two boats, rather than simply having “one more dock.” You also omit the change from a public to a hotel-only beach and the added southern facilities. A more precise overview and fuller reporting of the most significant changes would strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening, an overview, descriptions of changes and a concluding sentence. The reader can generally follow the movement from the northern harbour to the area around the former castle. However, progression is sometimes difficult to track because directions and references are vague: “the front side of it,” “Exact opposite of this,” and “From here” do not clearly identify locations. Linking phrases such as “In continue of that” are also awkward, while several details are crowded into long sentences. Organise the body by area or by major change, and use clear location references—for example, “in the southern harbour basin” or “on the south side of the road”—to make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “Marina (Private yachts),” “passenger ferries,” “car park,” and “cafes and shops,” so the reader can identify many map features. However, the range of descriptive language is limited, and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “leisure types of changes,” “moved to the front side,” and “converted into leisure place.” Spelling and word-form errors, including “amde,” “discused,” and “newely,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map language and natural collocations, such as “was relocated to the southern basin” and “the harbour has been developed for tourism and recreation.” Check spelling carefully, especially for key labels and summary terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main message is usually understandable. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction. For example, “not many major changes have been done” uses an unsuitable passive construction, while “where the Marina … where present” has incorrect agreement and tense. The sentence beginning “Exact opposite of this where first Castle…” is difficult to parse, and “In continue of that” does not form a correct grammatical link. Punctuation also creates awkward breaks, as in “positions of .Marina.” Practise accurate past-versus-present comparisons and build shorter, complete sentences before combining ideas with subordinate clauses.

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