Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02

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 two maps illustrate the layout of harbour in 2000 and the proposed to be changes made by Today.

Overall it can be seen that, the Porth harbour is set to undergo significant redevelopment, with new facilities added and feature to upgrade enhance to harbour experience.

To commence, in 2000, the harbour had a simple layout with public beach on northern side. However, on west the main road is connected to different car park as well as joined with Showers and toilets on it. besides , on southern area the road is which going to east side. on account, of in the middle there was Lifeboat. as a result on the east and south down side corner there was a big Castle with small connect Public beach.

on the other hand, several changes to be made today in the Porth Harbour. in spite of, Castle there are investigation a big Hotel. Moreover, same as in the year 2000 , today the main road is connected to the two car parks. not only car park but also near by the added a Marina with opposite to the fishing boats. Finally, on the middle the new facilities are cafe and shops with joint lifeboat.

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, marina, and cafe. However, the description is often unclear and lacks precision. For example, phrases like 'on account, of in the middle' and 'down side corner' are vague and do not accurately describe the spatial layout. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the two periods is somewhat disjointed. To improve, focus on using precise directional language (e.g., 'in the north-east corner') and ensure that all key features are clearly contrasted rather than just listed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and misused cohesive devices. For instance, 'To commence' and 'on account, of' are used incorrectly, which creates confusion for the reader. The referencing is also problematic; it is often unclear what 'it' or 'the road' refers to in the context of the map. While there is an attempt to use transition signals, they are often mechanical or inappropriate for the context, which hinders the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often inaccurate. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'proposed to be changes made by Today' and 'investigation a big Hotel' (likely meaning 'replaced by'). The repetition of basic words like 'connected' and 'added' limits the range. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology for map descriptions, such as 'transformed into,' 'situated,' 'adjacent to,' or 'replaced by,' and ensure that collocations are natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with sentence structure, such as 'the road is which going to east side' and 'on the middle the new facilities are cafe'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and missing articles throughout. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to a lack of clarity. Focusing on basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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