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 maps illustrate the information of porth harbour map plan in 2000 and how often it looks nowadays.

Overall, from 2000, Porth Harbour has changed from many aspects. In 2000 they have only one dock area, or toilet, but nowadays it has changed, there are two toilets and a dock. New cafes and shops are open near the lifeboat, and a hotel in the area of the castle.

on the hand in 2000 porth harbour only have a main road then enter to the public beach or in the near by they have dock, passengers ferries and marina a private yachts or some of fishing area. and in the west side thay have a showers or toilets place, in addition to that there are two car parking area, then across the road one lifeboat is available and again have a public beach and some place of castle .

on the other hand todays porth harbour is little bit different, like making two dock areas or showers and toilets, also made new cafe and shops near the life boat or the bigest changed is the hotel in the castle place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the addition of the hotel, cafes, and the expansion of dock facilities. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear, analytical approach. The comparison between the two time periods is present but relies on repetitive phrasing. To improve, you should group information more logically—for example, by focusing on infrastructure changes versus commercial developments—rather than listing features in a way that feels like a simple inventory. The overview is present but could be more concise and professional in tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and often mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'in 2000' and 'nowadays'. The transition between the description of the past and the present is abrupt, and the use of 'on the hand' (an incorrect idiom) and 'on the other hand' does not effectively guide the reader through the comparison. Improving the flow between sentences using a wider range of linking words would significantly enhance the clarity of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'place', 'area', and 'changed'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'information of porth harbour map plan' and 'showers or toilets place'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'extended', or 'situated'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the lack of variety in your word choice restricts your ability to convey information with precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('porth harbour only have'), incorrect tense usage ('they have only one dock'), and awkward phrasing ('how often it looks nowadays'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with run-on sentences and missing capital letters for proper nouns. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of grammatical errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement.

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

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