Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-18

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 plan illustrates the the harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.

The first image is from 2000 and we can see the from the main road we have car parking, toilets and showers area. Beyond that we can see teh marina yachts parking and fishing boats parking opposite to that. While moving ahead we have dock and passenger ferries opposite to that we have life boat and a castle that is not in use also we have a public beach attached.

In comparision with 2000's Porth harbour the today's harbour have changed a bit, we can see more car parking space, showers and toilets.The marina private yachts area have moved to teh south and in place we see fishing boats parking. The dock are is also expanded we can see teh passenger ferries plus we can see some cafe and shops have opned to general public also the disused castle is replaced by a hotel and that have a private beach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two time periods and report several important changes, including the marina moving south, fishing boats taking its former place, the disused castle being replaced by a hotel, and the southern beach becoming private. These details show a relevant understanding of the plans. However, the response does not give a clear overview of the harbour’s main transformation, and some locations are described vaguely or inaccurately: for example, “car parking, toilets and showers” are not clearly positioned, and the dock and passenger ferries are not opposite the lifeboat and castle as stated. The added facilities and changes to the dock are also only briefly covered. A concise overview followed by more precise comparisons would make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a basic time-based structure, first describing the 2000 plan and then comparing it with today, so the reader can recognise the intended progression. However, the first paragraph strings together locations with repeated phrases such as “Beyond that,” “opposite to that,” and “While moving ahead,” which do not always show the actual spatial relationships. The second paragraph also combines several changes in one long sequence, with limited punctuation and few clear groupings. Organise the information into a brief overview and focused paragraphs—for example, one on the harbour facilities and another on the southern area—and use linking expressions only when they accurately indicate contrast or location.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “harbour,” “marina,” “passenger ferries,” “disused castle,” and “private beach.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “yachts parking,” “fishing boats parking,” and “the dock are also expanded.” Repeated use of “we can see” also makes the description less formal and varied. There are noticeable spelling errors, including “teh,” “comparision,” and “opned,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map-description vocabulary and standard spelling; for instance, describe facilities as being “located beside” or “relocated to” an area, and refer to “parking areas” or “berths” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to connect ideas in longer sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “the today's harbour have changed,” where the possessive form and subject–verb agreement are incorrect, and “The dock are also expanded,” which has agreement and verb-form problems. Articles and sentence construction are also unreliable in phrases such as “we have dock” and “that have a private beach.” Most sentences rely on simple clauses joined by “and” or “also,” with limited accurate variety. Practise forming clear present- and past-tense comparisons, checking singular and plural subjects, and separating long sequences into complete sentences with appropriate punctuation.

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