Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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)

in this mao describe a map off porth harbour in two different times its show what changes comes on there in 2000 first you entry to there from main road you see a small road who comes to the east side in 2000 un the south side off the road its a public beach and few steps ago a castle and now its change the change into a privat beach and the castle change into a hotel and the life boats are in same place in both times and there west side off life boats in 2000 there nothing but now there's a cafes and shops build up and the wesrest side off the lifeboat near to main road in 2000 there's a fishing boats and car park and now the fishing boats location is different the changes into a marina private yachtas and the right side now bilud up new showers and toilets and the other side on the sea side passenger ferries dock and public beach is same then and now and the map is almost same

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response attempts to describe the changes in the harbour, but it fails to provide a clear overview or a logical summary of the main features. While it mentions several changes, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the addition of cafes, the information is presented in a disorganized, stream-of-consciousness manner. The report lacks a clear structure, making it difficult to identify the most significant trends or transformations. Furthermore, the description of locations is often confusing, and the response fails to effectively compare the two time periods in a professional or academic tone. To improve, you should group information logically (e.g., by area or type of facility) and include a clear introductory summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The response lacks paragraphing, which is essential for organizing information in an IELTS Task 1 report. The text is a single, long block of sentences that are poorly connected. There is a lack of cohesive devices; instead, the writer relies on repetitive and simplistic transitions like 'and' or 'now'. The progression of ideas is unclear, and the lack of punctuation makes it difficult for the reader to follow the sequence of changes. To improve, you must use clear paragraph breaks to separate different aspects of the map and employ a wider range of linking words such as 'whereas', 'subsequently', or 'in contrast' to connect your ideas logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic words like 'change', 'place', and 'side'. There are numerous spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'mao' (map), 'wesrest' (western), 'bilud' (built), and 'yachtas' (yachts). The misuse of terminology, such as 'entry to there' instead of 'access to the harbour', further hinders the clarity of the report. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the visual information accurately or with any degree of precision. To reach a higher band, you need to learn specific vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'converted into', 'replaced by', 'extended', and 'situated'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors that often impede communication. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the simple sentences used are often grammatically incorrect, such as 'there nothing but now there's a cafes'. Subject-verb agreement is frequently ignored, and the use of articles and prepositions is highly inconsistent. Punctuation is almost entirely absent, which makes the text difficult to parse. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including the correct use of 'there is/are', verb tenses for describing past and present states, and proper punctuation to separate distinct ideas.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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