Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-21

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 map illustrate the changes that harbour has undergone between 2000 and now.

Overall, the area has experienced substantial transformation, most notably through the south of the map with the lifeboat and castle. Nevertheless, showers and toilets, car park and dock has remained largely intact.

In 2000, castle was situated in the south east side of the area, while there was nothing by the side of lifeboats. Additionally, on the west side we have shower and car parks a private yachts on the north side while fishing boats in south along with that in the north east we have public beach and a dock.

By now, the castle had been replace by the hotel, while there is a cafe and shops near the lifeboats. Furthermore, the location of marina and the fishing boats has been swapped with each other and the public beach nearby castle is now a private beach of hotels. Meanwhile the showers, toilets and the car parking remained in its original position.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the replacement of the castle by a hotel, the addition of cafés and shops, and the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas. The overview also recognises substantial change, but it is not fully accurate: showers, toilets and car parks did not all remain in their original positions, as a second set was added near the marina. Some locations are unclear or misreported, such as saying there was “nothing by the side of lifeboats” in 2000, when the road and harbour features provide useful context, and describing the north-east beach as “nearby castle.” To strengthen the response, give a clearer overview of the main redevelopment and report the dock changes and the added facilities more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the two time periods. This gives the reader a basic progression, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Additionally,” and “Furthermore” help connect points. However, several sentences combine many locations and changes, making relationships difficult to follow. The long sentence beginning “Additionally, on the west side…” moves between the west, north, south and north-east without clear organisation. Some references are also vague, including “that” and “nearby castle.” Group details by area or by type of change, and use clearer location references so the comparisons are easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “harbour,” “marina,” “lifeboats,” “public beach,” and “private beach,” and phrases such as “has undergone” and “has been swapped” help describe change. However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise or awkward, which limits clarity: “nothing by the side of lifeboats” is vague, and “a private beach of hotels” does not express the map label naturally. “Castle” and “hotel” are also used without articles in places. Aim for precise location language and natural phrases such as “beside the lifeboat station” and “a private beach for hotel guests.” This would make the description more accurate and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including contrast with “while” and “Nevertheless,” and the main changes can generally be understood. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, agreement and verb forms. For example, “The map illustrate” needs subject–verb agreement, while “the castle had been replace” has an incorrect participle and an unsuitable tense for describing the present plan. In “showers and toilets, car park and dock has remained,” the plural subject does not agree with “has.” There are also missing articles in phrases such as “castle was situated.” Check agreement and article use, and use the present simple for features shown today and the past simple for the 2000 plan.

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