Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18
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 5.0)
The diagram illustrate how the layout of a Harbour changed over a particular period of time.
Overall, their is seen a significant changes has has undergone throughout the period. The castle has converted into hotel. Another Showers and toilets, cafes and shops and one another dock has added to Porth Harbour.
In 2000 there were showers and toilets, marina (private yachts) and car park on the north west side. A public beach, a dock on the north east area and on the south east part there were a castle and public beach. and on the south west side there were a car park and fishing boats were their.
Now, the first noticeable change is that the castle has been converted into a hotel and another difference seen today is the replacement of fishing boats and marina (private yachts). There are some new toilets and showers, cafes and shops and a dock is added. car park, public beach and car park has at the same place.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the harbour's transformation, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel and the addition of new facilities. However, the overview is somewhat disjointed and lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends. While the key changes are identified, the description of the layout in 2000 is repetitive and lacks precision in spatial referencing. The report would benefit from a more structured approach to comparing the two time periods, rather than listing features in a way that feels slightly mechanical. Overall, the response addresses the task requirements but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 2000' and 'Now', but they are applied in a somewhat simplistic manner. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the locations of the facilities. The flow between sentences is often interrupted by grammatical errors, which makes the text feel disjointed. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that contributes to the overall summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'another difference seen' and 'at the same place' are functional but lack sophistication. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'their is seen a significant changes' and 'one another dock has added'. The student attempts to describe the changes, but the lack of precise terminology for spatial description limits the clarity of the report. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more descriptive verbs and precise nouns would significantly improve the quality of the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('their is seen a significant changes'), incorrect verb forms ('has has undergone'), and awkward sentence construction ('fishing boats were their'). There is a limited range of complex structures, and the simple sentences used often contain errors in punctuation or word order. To reach a higher band, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that tense usage is consistent throughout the description of the past and present.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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