Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-03

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)

As we have to compare the harbour in 2000s and today, we see on the left side of the diagram, the

first change is that the car park is replaced from the side road to the main road and there is an additional 'showers and toilets' besides the main road.

Then another thing is that the place of Marina (private yatchs) and fishing boats are swapped with each other and the number of yatchs and boats also increased with time for the convenience of people.

There are additional cafes and shops for people's service and joy. The castle that wasn't in use of someone and was taking a huge place in the 2000s is used for something useful and a hotel is constructed there. So as we can see that a part of public beach is now changed into a private beach which is under hotel's management and can be used by their permission only.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the harbour transformation, such as the relocation of the car park, the swapping of boat areas, and the addition of commercial facilities. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary paragraph, which is essential for Task 1. The description is somewhat informal and relies on a narrative style rather than an analytical report style. While the key changes are identified, the lack of a structured introduction and a concluding summary prevents the response from reaching a higher band. The mention of the castle and the beach privatization is accurate, but the overall presentation lacks the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is written as a single block of text, which significantly impacts the coherence. There is no paragraphing to separate the introduction, body, and overview. While there is a basic logical flow, the use of cohesive devices is limited and somewhat mechanical (e.g., 'Then another thing is', 'So as we can see'). The lack of clear paragraph breaks makes the text feel like a continuous stream of thought rather than a structured report. To improve, you should organize your ideas into distinct paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs detailing specific changes.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. Phrases like 'for the convenience of people' and 'for people's service and joy' are repetitive and slightly unnatural in an academic context. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'yatchs' (spelling: yachts) and 'wasn't in use of someone' (which is awkward phrasing). To improve, focus on using more precise terminology related to urban planning and development, such as 'redeveloped', 'converted', 'expanded', or 'transformed', rather than simple verbs like 'changed' or 'replaced'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For example, 'the car park is replaced from the side road to the main road' is awkward; 'relocated' would be more accurate. The phrase 'The castle that wasn't in use of someone' is grammatically incorrect and confusing. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and more accurate preposition use will help improve your accuracy.

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

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