Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-30
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 map illustrate the plans of a Porth harbour in 2000 and how geography has been changed now.
On southwest, the way of a car park was attached to the Road before. Now car park links it way to Main road which is more convenient for the people. Another Showers and toilets area developed on the north of the Car park.
The more space required for Marina over the time. So, the Marina for private yachts and Fishing boats area switch their places to each other. Moreover, there was open space available besides the lifeboat
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 95 words. This significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the response. While the student identifies some key features, such as the changes to the car park and the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the summary is incomplete. Several areas of the map, such as the new lifeboat station and the expanded accommodation, are either ignored or mentioned only in passing. Because the response is substantially under-length and lacks a comprehensive overview or a detailed comparison of all major changes, it cannot be awarded a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organised into short paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the abrupt transition 'The more space required for Marina over the time.' Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of a clear introduction or concluding summary makes the overall structure feel fragmented. To improve, the student should focus on using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that contributes to the overall description of the changes.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'the way of a car park' and 'links it way' are unnatural and indicate a limited range of lexical items. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'Another Showers and toilets area developed', which is grammatically and lexically awkward. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe the map features (e.g., using 'switch their places' instead of 'relocated' or 'swapped'). To reach a higher band, the student needs to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'situated', 'extended', 'converted', or 'demolished'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, as seen in 'The map illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'Another Showers and toilets area developed' (missing a verb like 'were'). Sentence structures are simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing articles and incorrect capitalization (e.g., 'Road', 'Car park'). The student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject, verb, and object, and work on the correct use of articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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