Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-28

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 illustration gives information about a harbour in year of 2000 and how it looks today. Overall, today the harbour has ample of facilties than previous years.

It is quite evident from the map that port harbour in 2000 was quiet different and had no variety of places. On the west side of the map there was a main road which linked to the car park and that was very close to the showers and toilets. However, there was a road which was likned to the main road and lead to the life boat and was close to the public beach that was situated to the south side.

Furthermore, today harbour has many places than 2000. On the south there is a hotel which is close to the private beach. Through the hotel there is a way that goes to life boat which is very close to the cafes and shops. On the north side there are three docks and a public beach which are incorporated in recent days.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You provide a basic comparison between the harbour in 2000 and today, and identify some relevant features, including the main road, the southern beach, the hotel and the cafés and shops. However, the overview that the harbour has “ample of facilities” is broad and does not clearly summarise the main changes. Several important details are missing or inaccurate: the marina and fishing-boat areas exchanged locations, the castle was replaced by a hotel, and the southern beach became private. The statement that there are “three docks” in the north is not supported by the plan; it shows a dock with an additional jetty and two berthed boats. To improve, select the major changes and describe them accurately, rather than relying on a few isolated locations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by separate paragraphs about 2000 and today. This gives the reader a basic chronological route through the maps. Linking expressions such as “However” and “Furthermore” also help signal relationships between ideas. At times, though, the progression is unclear because features are grouped without a consistent spatial or change-based order. For example, the 2000 paragraph moves from the west-side road to the car park and then to the southern beach, while the final sentence introduces docks and a beach together. Some references, such as “Through the hotel,” are difficult to interpret. Organise each paragraph around clear areas or key changes, and use more precise references to connect features.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “main road,” “public beach,” “private beach,” “hotel,” and “cafes and shops,” so the reader can identify several locations. There are also attempts to vary wording, such as “linked” and “incorporated.” However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “ample of facilities,” “quiet different,” and “three docks” do not express the intended information clearly. Spelling errors such as “facilties” and “likned” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms for map changes, such as “was replaced by,” “was relocated,” and “remained unchanged,” and check spelling and collocations before finishing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “which” and “that,” and most of the main ideas remain understandable. However, some grammatical errors affect clarity. The opening phrase “in year of 2000” needs an article and a more natural time expression; “today harbour has” is missing an article; and “there was a road which was likned to the main road and lead” has problems with both the verb form and tense consistency. The sentence beginning “Through the hotel there is a way” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between the hotel and the route. Practise accurate articles, past-tense forms, and sentence patterns for describing locations and changes.

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