Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)
The given maps give the information about the Harbour look like in 2000 and how it look like today. Overall the shops and cafes give a big change for local people in today compare to the past.
In the 2000 only to boats in the harbour, and the fishing boats have a big area. On the south they have a public beach.
Today the locales has a three boots, cafes and a hotel in the beach side. Today we have a 2 duck and the bater life for travel.
When we saw the first and to today maps we saw easily the add new thinks in the area. The past people not have the two car park but today is two car parks is able. In 2000 the south beach is for public but today it is private, and change the fishing boat area small and other side than past.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response attempts to describe the changes in the harbour, but it fails to provide a clear or accurate summary of the main features. While it mentions the addition of shops, cafes, and car parks, the descriptions are often confusing or inaccurate (e.g., '2 duck' and 'bater life'). The comparison between the two maps is underdeveloped and lacks the necessary precision required for an Academic Task 1 response. Key features, such as the specific location of the new facilities or the reduction in the fishing boat area, are described in a way that is difficult to follow, leading to a lack of clarity in the overall report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5
The response is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is weak. The sentences are often disjointed, and the use of cohesive devices is very limited and sometimes incorrect (e.g., 'When we saw the first and to today maps we saw easily'). The referencing is unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the 2000 and current layouts. The overall structure lacks the flow expected at higher bands, as the information is presented in a fragmented manner rather than as a cohesive summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very basic and often inaccurate, which frequently impedes communication. There are significant issues with word choice and spelling, such as 'locales' instead of 'location', 'boots' instead of 'boats', and 'bater life' which is unintelligible. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the features of the maps with any precision. The student relies on repetitive and simple language, failing to demonstrate the ability to use topic-specific vocabulary related to maps or urban development.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often distort the intended meaning. There is a lack of control over basic sentence structures, with issues in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the locales has a three boots') and tense usage (e.g., 'the past people not have'). Complex structures are almost entirely absent, and the simple sentences used are frequently flawed. Punctuation is also inconsistent, which further hinders the readability of the text. The high frequency of errors makes the writing difficult to understand in several places.
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