Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-31

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 plans compare the old (in 2000) and new (today) design of porth harbour and also highlight the chnges between old and new design.

Overall, it is clear that in new design add one more dock area and made a cofes & shops room. Moreover, in old verision fishing boats and marina (private yachts) change the location in the new today plan and Castle (disused) convert into Hotel.

Firstly, in the new design made one more dock area beside the public bearch in north side and also add the new boat. Scondly, made a cafes & shops room beside the life boat area in south side.

The second last development is that castle (discused) area change into the hotel area ear the private beach. Furthermore, made one more showers & toilets room fornt into the car park room. The last development is that change the location fishing boats and marina (private yachts) to each other in the new design.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several major changes, including the relocation of the fishing boats and marina, the addition of cafés and shops, and the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel. This gives the response a relevant overview of the harbour’s redevelopment. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the extra dock/jetty is at the northern entrance, not simply “beside the public beach,” and the cafés and shops are beside the lifeboat station along the road, rather than in the south. You also mention an additional showers-and-toilets facility, but do not clearly explain the wider changes to the facilities and car parks. A more precise overview and fuller, accurately located comparisons would make the main features clearer and more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an opening, an overview, and paragraphs describing developments. Sequencing phrases such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “Furthermore” help signal that you are listing changes. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, and the final paragraph groups several separate developments without a clear order or explanation of how they relate. Some references are also difficult to follow, such as “one more dock area” and “the new boat,” which do not specify the feature clearly. Organise the details by location or by type of change, and use clearer links between the overview and supporting details. This would create a more consistent progression and reduce the impression of a list.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “marina,” “fishing boats,” “car park,” “private beach,” and “hotel,” and you attempt to describe change with phrases such as “convert into” and “change the location.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the description less clear, including “cofes,” “bearch,” “discused,” and “room” for a facility or building. “Dock area” is also imprecise when describing the additional jetty. Aim for accurate map terms and natural collocations, such as “an additional jetty was added” and “the castle was replaced by a hotel.” Proofreading spelling and choosing precise nouns would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including “Moreover, in old verision fishing boats and marina … change the location in the new today plan.” However, many clauses are missing a subject or a correctly formed verb, as in “in the new design made one more dock area” and “made a cafes & shops room.” Tense and article use are also inconsistent: “Castle … convert into Hotel” needs a past passive form, such as “was converted into a hotel,” while “the new today plan” has an unclear grammatical structure. These errors sometimes make the relationships between features difficult to understand. Practise complete subject–verb sentences and use the past passive consistently to describe changes between the two plans.

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