Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 plans illustrates the changes in harbour in the last few years from 2000 to present days. Overall, it shows some major alternation in few places. However, the place which used be Marina (private yachts) in 2000, has become Fishing boats area these days. On the other hand, Showers & toilets and Car park remained in same place next to the right hand path of the main road. Moreover, a new Showers & toilets areas have rebuild between car park beside the main road. A new Cafes and shops established in left side of the lifeboat. In the mean time, major changes happend bottom right corner with Castle, now its truned into a hotel and a seperate Private beach introduced for it with a connected pathway to main road. Therefore passenger ferries still remained the same place. Docking areas has extensive, as a result,more ships can docks at the same time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important changes, including the former marina becoming the fishing-boat area, the castle being replaced by a hotel, and the southern beach becoming private. These are relevant and support a general overview of redevelopment. However, some key details are missing or unclear: the marina itself has moved to the southern basin, and the new showers and toilets and car park are beside this relocated marina, not simply “between car park beside the main road.” The dock’s expansion is noted, but the added jetty and two boats are not clearly described. The statement that passenger ferries remain in the same place is not supported by the plan labels. Covering the main changes more precisely and developing the overview would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable overall-to-detail structure: it begins with a general statement, then describes changes around the harbour and the south-eastern area. Linking expressions such as “However,” “On the other hand,” and “Moreover” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because several changes are packed into one paragraph and the relationships between locations are not always clear. For example, “between car park beside the main road” does not clearly identify which facilities are being located, while “Therefore” does not express a logical result before the ferry detail. Grouping the northern, central, and southern changes into a clearer sequence, with more precise referencing, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “Marina,” “Fishing boats,” “lifeboat,” “Docking areas,” and “Private beach,” and you attempt to describe change with phrases such as “turned into” and “introduced.” This gives you enough vocabulary to communicate the broad subject. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “major alternation,” “areas have rebuild,” and “Docking areas has extensive.” Spelling errors such as “happend,” “truned,” and “seperate” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map language and check word forms: for example, use “underwent major changes,” “was relocated,” and “the dock was extended.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including contrast structures such as “On the other hand” and a result clause beginning “as a result.” The main message is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “The plans illustrates” has subject–verb disagreement, and “the place which used be Marina” is missing “to” and an article. There are also problems with tense and agreement in “areas have rebuild” and “Docking areas has extensive.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation need attention, particularly in “Castle, now its truned into a hotel,” where the clauses are joined unclearly. Practise accurate past and present passive forms for describing changes, such as “was replaced by” and “has been relocated.”

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