Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-09
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 4.0)
Overall it is clear that Porth harbour has undergone significantly changes from 2000 to the present because whatever i talk about 2000 showers toilets is small ha Marine is large and in the front and public beach is outside and passenger ferries and fishing boats is inside they also has car park and road around the lifeboat and outside the public beach when I talk about right now little showers and toilets and marine and passenger ferries is inside and also have the car park around the road and near the road have cafes and shops and on the way of road have lifeboat which is opening to the passenger ferries and marina another way of the road have hotel and private beach is outside so that is about details of 2000 or right now they are so changes about 2000 or right now about this graph I like right now graph.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response attempts to describe the changes in the harbour, but it fails to provide a clear, structured overview. The information is presented in a stream-of-consciousness style, making it difficult to distinguish between the 2000 layout and the current layout. While some features are mentioned, the lack of logical grouping (e.g., comparing specific areas like the marina or the beach) prevents a clear summary. The response lacks a formal introduction and a clear summary of main trends, which are essential for Task 1. The personal opinion at the end is inappropriate for an academic report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The text lacks paragraphing and logical progression. It is written as a single, long, run-on sentence, which makes it very difficult to follow. There is a complete absence of cohesive devices (such as 'however', 'in contrast', or 'furthermore') to link ideas or contrast the two time periods. The referencing is unclear, and the flow of information is chaotic, jumping between different parts of the harbour without a clear spatial or chronological order.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic words like 'small', 'large', 'inside', and 'outside' to describe the harbour features. There is no attempt to use precise terminology related to maps or urban development (e.g., 'relocated', 'expanded', 'constructed', 'adjacent to'). The phrasing is often unnatural, such as 'whatever i talk about 2000', which hinders the reader's understanding of the intended meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The grammatical control is very weak. The response consists of a single, extremely long sentence with numerous errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'showers toilets is small', 'fishing boats is inside') and word order. There is a lack of punctuation, which makes the text nearly impossible to parse. The student struggles with basic sentence construction, and there is no evidence of complex sentence structures. Errors are frequent and consistently impede communication throughout the entire piece.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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