Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20

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 given plan illustrates how harbour looked in year 2000 and how it looks today.

Overall, porth harbour of today more features then in 2000, it has more docks change in fishing boats and private yachts area.

In year 2000, coming from North side to South on main road there is a car park in East side of ,main road with showers and toilets area in North and Marina(private yachts) in East of both while now the marine area is changed by fishing boats. There is one dock on South west side of public beach on the other hand there are two docks now.

In 2000 on the South of marina there is area for fishing boats with another car park on it`s West but now fishing boats are exchanged by marina and another showers and toilets area is added. In 2000 Car park is connected to a road from main road to life boat area in north and a public beach on south and a castle but now castle is changed into hotel with new road and new cafes and shops are build near lifeboat.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a basic overview of the changes in the harbour from 2000 to today, clearly stating that the plan has more features now. However, it lacks a clear structure and detailed comparison of the main features between the two time periods. For example, while it mentions the increase in docks and the changes in boat types, the comparisons could be more explicit and well-organized.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The coherence of the response is weak, as the points made are somewhat disjointed. Phrases like "In year 2000, coming from North side to South on main road..." could have benefitted from clearer transitions. Moreover, the overall organization of information is confusing, which impacts the reader's ability to follow the progression of ideas effectively. Paragraphs could be more logically structured to enhance flow and clarity.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is often basic and repetitive, such as using "area" multiple times without variation. Words like "fishing boats" are accurately used, but could have been replaced with synonyms to enhance the lexical variety—greater use of descriptive language would elevate the writing. Phrases like "new cafes and shops are build" contain grammatical errors and indicate limited lexical resourcefulness in this context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammatical structures used in the response demonstrate some inaccurate constructions. For instance, phrases like "more features then in 2000" should read "more features than in 2000." There are several grammatical issues, such as subject-verb agreement and improper use of tenses. These errors occasionally hinder the clarity of the message, impacting overall communication effectiveness. The student could benefit from revising sentence structures and tense consistency.

Overall feedback

Your response contains the essential elements for describing the changes in the harbour from 2000 to today. However, to improve your score, focus on organizing your ideas more clearly. Use distinct paragraphs for different aspects, such as docks versus marina changes. Work on enhancing your vocabulary by incorporating a wider range of words and synonyms to avoid repetition. Additionally, pay attention to grammatical structures—proofreading for errors before submission can greatly help. Practicing complex sentence formations will also help you add variety and precision to your writing, making it more engaging.

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

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