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)
The below plans illustrate compares the changing in twenty-year ago with today and how it looks now.
Overall, it is clear that porth harbour has been changed significantly by the time and introduces numerous resources for a public with separated car parking system, different private yachts.
In 2000, porth harbour had quite limited routes for the navigation to went for life boat and car parks although car parks were separated without any road. upward to the north there was a public beach for the visitors. Dock contained two boats for the passenger ferries while with only one shower & toilets facility was avalaible. In addition, downward to the south at the end of the bottom, there was public beach with castle disused.
Since then, harbour introduces significant redevelopment such as cafe & shops near by lifeboat, build hotel replace with the castle and link directly with the road for the visitors with above right of private beach which is reserve for the hotel customers. Increased dock area with the multiple ships for the passengers. creats separate toilets system for the easy and privacy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the broad change from a harbour with a disused castle to one with a hotel and private beach, and you mention additions such as cafés and shops and changes to the dock. These are relevant main features. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: in 2000 the dock is shown with one boat, not two, and the southern beach is not “at the end of the bottom”; the public beach is on the south side of the road, while another public beach remains to the north-east. The overview also does not clearly summarise the most important changes, especially the exchange of the fishing-boat and marina areas. Select the main transformations accurately and explain their locations more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a basic overall structure, moving from an introduction and overview to a description of 2000 and then the present-day harbour. This gives the reader a recognisable sequence, and “Since then” helps signal the comparison. However, the progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow: the 2000 description jumps between routes, beaches, the dock and facilities, while the final paragraph combines several changes without clear grouping. Some linking expressions, such as “In addition” and “although,” do not clearly express the relationship between the ideas that follow them. Organise the details by area or by type of change, and use clearer references to distinguish the northern and southern beaches and harbour areas.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You attempt relevant map vocabulary, including “harbour,” “car parks,” “lifeboat,” “private beach” and “redevelopment,” and you try to describe change with phrases such as “replace with the castle.” However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or unclear, as in “limited routes for the navigation,” “different private yachts” and “separate toilets system.” There are also spelling and form errors, including “avalaible” and “creates” written as “creats.” These issues sometimes make it hard to understand exactly what changed. Use precise location and change vocabulary, such as “was relocated,” “was replaced by,” “adjacent to” and “on the southern side,” and check spelling and natural word combinations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the response uses past and present time references to compare the plans. However, sentence structures are often faulty, which can obscure meaning. For example, “The below plans illustrate compares the changing” combines incompatible verb forms, while “car parks were separated without any road” has an unclear grammatical relationship. There are also problems with articles, agreement and verb forms in “harbour introduces significant redevelopment” and “build hotel replace with the castle.” Aim for a clear subject–verb structure in each sentence, use past tense for the 2000 plan and present or present perfect for today, and proofread articles and verb forms. More accurate control of these patterns would make your comparisons easier to follow.
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