Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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)

First shows the Porth harbour in 2000 and second image shows it it looks today.

Porth harbour was situated in the east of main road. First of all there were area covered area for showers and toilets in north west and a car park besides it. North side had Marina for private yachts in the water where it started. There was a dock with passenger ferries and a public beach besides it, in north east corner. In south west corner there was a small road which connected to the life boat area. There was also a car park connected to this road in starting point. Near the car park there was an area limited for fishing boats. In the south east corner there was a second public beach and a disused catle.

If we look today's map of Porth harbour, Marina private yachts place and Fishing boats places have exchanged to eachother. Now there are two places for dock. In south area there is a space created for Cafes and shops near lifeboat area. Abadoned castle has been changed to a hotel and the public beach has been changed to private beach for the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important changes, especially the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas and the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel. However, the response only partly summarises the plans: it lacks a clear overall overview of how the harbour has been redeveloped, and some locations are misreported. For example, the second public beach is on the south side of the road, not in the south-east corner, and the dock is not described as having two locations; rather, an additional jetty and a second berthed boat are shown. You also omit changes such as the added showers and toilets and car park near the marina. Select the main transformations accurately and distinguish additions from relocations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly sensible order, describing the 2000 plan before moving to the present, and phrases such as “If we look today's map” signal the transition. However, the first section reads mainly as a list of locations, with limited grouping or comparison, and the final paragraph gives only a few changes. Some links are unclear: “where it started” and “in starting point” do not make the locations easy to follow. Organise the description into clear paragraphs, group features by area or type of change, and use precise references such as “in the northern basin” or “south of the road.” This would create a more consistent progression rather than a sequence of loosely connected details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “north west,” “dock,” “private yachts,” “fishing boats,” and “disused,” so the reader can identify many of the features. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “area covered area,” “places have exchanged to eachother,” and “two places for dock.” Spelling errors in “catle” and “Abadoned” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise language for map changes, including terms such as “relocated,” “replaced,” “added,” and “adjacent to,” and check spelling and natural collocations. This would make the description clearer and more suitable for an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the past-tense description is generally understandable. However, errors occur frequently, and some sentence patterns are faulty or incomplete. The opening, “First shows the Porth harbour … and second image shows it it looks today,” lacks a clear subject and has an awkward clause structure. Other examples include “there were area” and “Marina private yachts place and Fishing boats places have exchanged,” where articles, number agreement, and sentence construction are not controlled. Tense also shifts in “If we look today's map.” Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use consistent past tense for 2000 and present tense for today. Proofread punctuation and repeated words.

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