Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-08

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 two diagrams illsutrates the designs of the porth Harbours. One was made in 2000 while the other is made in today's era.

Overall, we can see that lot of changes happens in the Porth Harbour over the period between 2000 and today. Some portions have been removed a few added into the new Harbour. While the remaining area of the harbour is most likely the same as it was in 2000. Some areas of the Harbour are aslo transform from one catogery to the other.

Moreover, the main difference has been made in the new Harbour is the addition of a hotel in the south east corner of the Harbour. The second major change made in the harbour is the transformation of the public beach into a private beach. The other change that have been made is the replacement of the space of the Marina with the space of Fishing boats.

Furthermore the remaining potion of the Harbour remains same as it was in 2000. Juat a few little changes made as they add one more dock with the previous one and also add one more shower & toilet section.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the hotel replacing the disused castle, the southern beach becoming private, and the marina and fishing-boat areas switching locations. The overview also recognises that some features remain unchanged. However, some key details are omitted or unclear: for example, the northern dock gains an additional jetty and accommodates two boats, and cafés and shops are added beside the lifeboat station. The statement that the “remaining portion” is the same is too broad, since facilities and harbour uses change in several places. Develop the comparison more precisely by describing the main changes in both the northern and southern parts of the harbour, rather than relying on general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs describing changes. Sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” help signal the stages of the description. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and the final paragraph repeats the claim that most of the harbour remains the same without adding much detail. Some references are also unclear, particularly “the replacement of the space of the Marina with the space of Fishing boats,” which does not make the direction of the change immediately clear. Grouping changes by location—for example, northern facilities first and southern changes second—and using clearer references would make the account easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “transformation,” “addition,” “replacement,” and “private beach,” so the main changes can generally be understood. However, spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural phrases are noticeable, such as “illsutrates,” “catogery,” “remaining potion,” and “today’s era.” Expressions such as “lot of changes happens” and “the replacement of the space” are also not natural choices for describing a plan. Aim for accurate, concise collocations such as “underwent several changes,” “the marina was relocated,” and “the beach became private.” More precise terms for facilities and locations would help you describe the map without repeatedly using general words such as “area” and “change.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the contrast introduced by “While” and the relative clause in “the addition of a hotel in the south east corner.” However, some errors in tense, agreement, articles, and sentence construction remain. For example, “lot of changes happens” needs an article and a plural verb, while “the other change that have been made” has a subject–verb agreement error. The opening “While the remaining area…” is a fragment, and “the main difference has been made … is” is an awkward, faulty construction. Use consistent past-tense forms to compare 2000 with today, and check that each sentence has a complete main clause and that verbs agree with their subjects.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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