Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-13

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 MAP DEMONSTRATE THE HARBOR LOOKS LIKE IN 2000 AND HOW IT LOOKS IN TODAY.

OVERALL, IT CAN BE OBSERVED THAT PORTH HARBOR ARE MANY CHANGED IN TODAY. IN THE PAST THERE ARE ONLY ONE SHOWER AND TOILETS, BUT TODAY HARBOUR HAVE A TWO SHOWER AND TOILETS. CASTLE IS REPLACED BY HOTEL. FURTHERMORE, CAFES AND SHOPS ARE BEING BUILT .

IN 2000, NORTH-WEST CORNER HAVE A SHOWERS AND TOILETS AND CAR PARK BESUDES THE MAIN ROAD. IN THE NORTH SIDE, PUBLIC BEACH DOCK AND BOAT AND PESSENGER FENES IN 2000. ON THE WEST SIDE, MARINE(PRIVATE YACHTS) AND UNDER THE PESSENGER FENCES. ON THE SOUTH SIDE, CAR PARK,FISHING BOATS, LIFEBOAT AND CASTLE IN 2000. AND ALSO ROAD IN SOUTH-WEST CORNER. PUBLIC BEACH IN SOUTH SIDE.

NOWADAYS, THERE MANY CHANGES IN PORTH HARBOR. ON THE NORTH WEST CORNER SHOWER AND TOILETS AND CAR PARK IS NOT CHANGED. ON THE WEST SIDE ALSO ONE SHOWER ANS TOILEST IS NEW AND CAR PARK IS NO CHANGED. FISHING BOATS IS ALSO REMOVE THIS DIRECTION, IN 2000 FISHING BOATS IN SOUTH SIDE BUT NWADAYS FISHING BOAT IN NORTH SIDE. TALKING ABOUT MARINE PRIVE YACHTS THIS PLACE ALSO CHANGE THERE DIRECTION. PUBLIC BEACH ALSO SAME DIRECTIONIN THE NORTH SIDE. AND ALSO THREE ONE BOATS IS ADD, IN 2026 THERE ARE 3 BOAT IN HARBOR. CAFES AND SHOPS ARE BUILT IN 2026. LIFEBOAT ARE SAME . FURTHERMORE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE ,CASTLEREPLACED BY HOTEL AND PUBLIC BEACH REPLACED BY PRIVATE BEACH. ROAD ARE NO CHANGED.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the castle by a hotel, the addition of cafés and shops, the relocation of the fishing boats and marina, and the change from a public to a private beach. Your overview also notes that facilities have been added. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the dock has two boats today, not three, and the maps do not show three boats being added. The marina and fishing-boat areas are described as changing direction rather than changing location. You also say the north-west facilities are unchanged, although the showers and toilets and car park are newly shown beside the marina in the south-west. A clearer overview and more precise comparisons would develop the main features more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening, an overview, and separate descriptions of the earlier and current layouts. This helps the reader follow the broad time sequence. However, progression within the paragraphs is often difficult to track because many details are presented as short, loosely connected statements, such as “On the south side, car park, fishing boats, lifeboat and castle.” Linking phrases such as “furthermore” and “also” are repeated, and some references—particularly “this direction” and “this place”—do not clearly identify the feature being discussed. Grouping changes by location or by type, and using clearer references and transitions, would make the comparison more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “public beach,” “car park,” “lifeboat,” “private yachts,” and “replaced by,” so the reader can recognise many of the features. However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts difficult to interpret: “PESSENGER FENES” appears to mean passenger ferries, while “marine” is used where “marina” is intended. Phrases such as “change there direction” are also imprecise for describing a relocation. Aim to use accurate names for map features and a wider set of comparison verbs, such as “relocated,” “remained,” and “was converted into.” Proofreading spelling would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response mainly uses simple statements and attempts some longer structures, including “In the past there are only one shower and toilets, but today harbour have a two shower and toilets.” However, errors in tense, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make several sentences difficult to follow. For example, “The given map demonstrate” needs subject–verb agreement and a more suitable tense, while “Castle replaced by hotel” is missing a verb and articles. The present and past are also mixed when comparing the two maps. Practise forming complete sentences with a consistent past-versus-present contrast, and check singular/plural agreement and articles before submitting.

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

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