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 two map compares plans of porth harbour in 2000 and its current form.

Overall, it is clear only few major changes have been done since 2000. Where the castle has been replaced by a hotel, new cafes and shops are installed beside lifeboat. Few postion shifts has been done where marina private yachts and fishing boats swapped places, addition to this one more showers and toilets and dock is added (southwest and north of porth )

Previously, We can observe a large castle is located on southeast which has a public beach to the bottom and on top left there is lifeboat followed by road, In constrast the castle in now converted into hotel with a private beach accessed and owed by hotel. On top of the hotel beside lifeboat, cafes and shops are build.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the castle becoming a hotel, the addition of cafés and shops, and the marina and fishing boats changing locations. However, the overview says that “only few major changes” occurred, which understates the redevelopment, and some details are inaccurate or unclear: the extra showers and toilets are not described precisely, and the dock’s additional jetty and second berthed boat are omitted. The response also focuses heavily on the hotel area and gives little account of the northern harbour or the two beach areas. At 136 words, it is below the required 150, so the summary is underdeveloped. To improve, give a fuller overview and compare the main changes across both maps accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening, an overview, and a paragraph describing the former and current southern area. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression is limited because most details are concentrated on the castle and hotel, while other changes are not developed. Linking phrases such as “In constrast” and “addition to this” are attempted, but the latter does not connect smoothly to the preceding sentence, and the overview becomes a long, crowded sentence. The final paragraph also shifts between past and present without a clear sequence. Organise the body by area or by type of change, and use shorter sentences with clear references to the two time periods.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “replaced,” “converted,” “private beach,” and “swapped places,” which helps communicate the main transformations. The range is nevertheless limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward, such as “plans of porth harbour,” “position shifts,” “installed” for facilities, and “accessed and owed by hotel.” Spelling and capitalisation errors, including “postion,” “constrast,” and inconsistent use of “Porth Harbour,” also reduce precision. Build a more accurate set of verbs for describing maps, such as “relocated,” “added,” and “replaced,” and check spelling and collocations. More precise vocabulary would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There are attempts to combine ideas using clauses, as in “Where the castle has been replaced by a hotel,” but the sentence is not grammatically complete in context. Errors occur frequently in agreement, articles, tense, and sentence boundaries: “The two map compares” should use a plural subject and verb, while “only few major changes have been done” needs an article and a more suitable construction. The sentence beginning “Previously, We can observe” also shifts awkwardly between past and present, and the long sentence about the castle and beach is difficult to control. These errors sometimes make relationships between details unclear. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses while maintaining consistent tense and punctuation.

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