Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-11

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 maps illustrate the changes experienced by Porth Harbour in 2000 and now.

Overall, numerous old fascilities are devoted to new functions as castle, fishing boats and marina locations, and the castle. While, new locations appear like cafés and shops, new showers and toilets, new docks, and new small road.

In the northern area, showers and toilets, and car park in the north west remained the same today. However, marina (private yachts) in 2000 is designed to be a location for fishing boats, also the previous dock for passenger ferries is become bigger and appropriate for three ferries, and the public beach in north east stayed unchanged.

In the southern area, a new showers and toilets are built above of the precedent car park which is still in the same place in south west but is not rely with the main road now. In addition, the old fishing boats location and castel are dedicated to be Marina and hotel, respictevely. Harbour now comprises a new café and shops are constructed, and small road rely the hotel with the big road. Whistl, life boat still in his place, such as the private beach in south east which is became hotel proprety actually.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the replacement of the castle by a hotel, and the addition of cafés and shops. The overview also recognises that the harbour has been redeveloped, so the response addresses the main purpose of the task. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dock is described as suitable for “three ferries,” whereas the plan shows two boats berthed there today, and the southern beach is now private rather than a new beach. The overview also repeats the castle change and does not clearly summarise the most significant overall pattern. More precise reporting of the dock and beach, alongside a sharper overview, would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the northern and southern areas. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the maps, and transitions such as “However” and “In addition” help signal changes. At times, though, connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “Overall” is followed by a list that repeats the castle change, while “While” begins a fragment-like contrast. The final sentence combines several changes with “such as,” making the relationship between the lifeboat, beach and hotel difficult to follow. Use clearer sentence boundaries and group related changes together to improve progression and referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of map-related vocabulary, including “relocated,” “remained,” “dedicated,” and “comprises,” and you use terms such as “north west” and “southern area” to describe location. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or make the meaning difficult to understand. “Old facilities are devoted to new functions” is not a natural way to describe redevelopment, and “the dock … is become bigger and appropriate for three ferries” is unclear. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “fascilities,” “castel,” and “respictevely.” Choose straightforward, precise verbs such as “was replaced by” or “was converted into,” and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and attempts at more complex sentences, for example, “However, marina … is designed to be a location for fishing boats” and “In addition, the old fishing boats location and castel are dedicated to be Marina and hotel.” These attempts show some range, but errors in verb forms, articles, agreement and sentence construction sometimes obscure the intended relationships. Examples include “is become bigger,” “a new showers and toilets are built,” and “which is became hotel proprety.” The opening overview also contains an incomplete contrast beginning “While.” Practise describing past-to-present changes with consistent forms such as “was replaced by” and “has been converted into,” and check that each sentence has a complete, grammatically connected structure.

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

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