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 given images shows the blueprint of a harbour in year 2000 vs how it looks now.

Overall, there are minimal changes like the docks for the ships have been increased, and its made much more luxury as comapred to earlier.

At present going going through north to south, after taking very first turn the car park is same as earlier and just above of it the showers and toilet area is same as earlier. In the east there was dock for only 2 ships which have been increased, at a time 3 ships can layover. The public beach is same as earlier. After taking 2nd turn from the main road there is another car parking same as earlier but a new showers and toilte have been added now. The marina (private yatch) and fishing boat area have been interchanged now. in the south east direction over the place of castle a hotel is made, and the beach which used to be for public in south direction is now only for hotel. The life boat area is same where it was earlier but a new cafe and shops have been added adjoing on its left side.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify several important changes accurately, including the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, the castle’s replacement by a hotel, the conversion of the southern beach to private use, and the addition of cafés and shops. Your overview also recognises increased facilities, but “minimal changes” understates the extent of redevelopment, and the overview could more clearly summarise the main pattern. Some details are misread: the northern dock has two boats today, not capacity for three, and the original dock is not described as holding two ships. The account also says the car parks are unchanged, although the southern facilities have been reorganised. This covers the task with relevant comparisons, but some features are unclear or less fully reported; a more precise overview and accurate dock details would strengthen it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a sequence of details moving broadly from north to south. This gives the reader a basic route through the map. However, the progression is weakened by repeated, awkward transitions such as “after taking very first turn” and “After taking 2nd turn,” which do not clearly locate features. The long final paragraph combines many changes without clear grouping, and “same as earlier” is repeated rather than using precise referencing. Divide the details into clearer north and south sections, and use location-based links such as “In the northern basin” or “Further south” to make comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “harbour,” “marina,” “public beach,” “private,” and “interchanged,” so the main changes can generally be understood. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “blueprint” for a plan, “luxury” to describe the harbour’s development, and “ships can layover” for boats berthed at a dock. Spelling errors such as “comapred,” “toilte,” “yatch,” and “adjoing” are noticeable and reduce precision. Aim for accurate map vocabulary and natural collocations, for example “the harbour has been redeveloped,” “two boats are berthed,” and “facilities have been added.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors occur frequently in basic sentence construction and agreement: “The given images shows” should be “The given images show,” while “which have been increased” does not agree naturally with “dock.” There are also problems with articles and sentence formation in “after taking very first turn,” and the phrase “At present going going through north to south” is difficult to parse. Repeated “same as earlier” clauses make sentence patterns limited, while punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent. Practise forming clear comparison sentences with accurate subjects and verbs, such as “The marina has moved south, while the fishing-boat area has moved north.”

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.