Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 picture illustrate a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.

Overall, the structure is almost same as compare to older version. The biggest change held on south side. The public beach converted into private beach and a disused castle build into a hotel.

A fleeting glance at picture reveals that on north side there was only one dock in 2000 and build one more and now it is two docks. On the west side corner there was three areas shower and toilets, car park and marina for private yachts from which only marina was changed and converted into for fishing boats.

Scrutinizing further, on the south west corner there was only car park and area for fishing boarts which builded into marina for private yachts and a new area is build for showers and toilets.On south side new area is build for cafes and shops . The public beach is converted into private beach for hotel and a disused castel build into a hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall contrast: the harbour remains broadly similar, while the southern castle becomes a hotel and the beach becomes private. You also report several relevant changes, including the marina and fishing boats switching areas and new facilities being added. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the northern entrance has an additional jetty and two boats, not “two docks,” and the north-west does not contain three areas including the marina in the way described. The account also omits notable changes such as cafés and shops beside the lifeboat station and the added facilities near the marina. A more precise overview and clearer selection of the main changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the north, west and south. Paragraphing helps distinguish the overview from the description. However, progression within the body is sometimes difficult to follow: the second paragraph combines the dock change with a confusing account of the north-west, while the final paragraph repeats the beach and castle changes already stated in the overview. Linking phrases such as “A fleeting glance” and “Scrutinizing further” sound formulaic and do not always clarify relationships between locations or changes. Organise the details in a consistent spatial order and avoid repeating the same information; use direct links such as “In the north” and “By contrast, in the south”.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “harbour,” “private yachts,” “public beach,” and “disused castle,” and you attempt less common descriptive phrases such as “A fleeting glance” and “Scrutinizing further.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “the biggest change held on south side,” “converted into for fishing boats,” and “builded into marina.” Spelling errors such as “boarts” and “castel” also reduce precision. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the broad changes, but they make the description less natural and sometimes obscure exactly what was replaced or relocated. Prefer straightforward, accurate map language, for example “was replaced by” and “was relocated to.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the overview sentence with two linked changes and clauses beginning “from which” and “which.” However, errors in agreement, articles, tense and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward. For example, “The picture illustrate” needs subject–verb agreement, while “the structure is almost same as compare to older version” has problems with the article and comparison structure. The passive forms in “a disused castle build into a hotel” and “a new area is build” are also inaccurate; use “was converted” and “was built.” There is also a missing space after the full stop before “On south side.” Check verb forms and articles, and use shorter, controlled sentences when describing each change.

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