Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-17

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 maps explain that a harbour how looks in 2000 and now.

Overall, it is crystal clear that there are some difference in the

Porth harbour like new docks, showers and toilets and cafes and shops. There is replacement in the place of fishing boats and marine(private yachts).

At a fleeting glance, it is evident that in the year 2000, starting from main road, it was divided into two parts. Entering to main road, there was car park constructed. After this, marina(private yachts) was built. In the centre of the harbour, there was some boats present and dock, public beach were avaiable. In the south direction, there was road for lifeboat and castle was constructed in particular shape which was not in use. In few space,there was public beach for enjoyment.

At present, there are few changes in Porth harbour. In the north direction, there is private beach which is recommened by hotel. Hotel is constructed instead of castle and road is also made of passing the harbour to go on road. With the lifeboat, cafes and shops are avaiable for eating and shopping. In the north direction, new docks and passenger ferries are constructed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the two maps of Porth Harbour, providing an overview and noting significant transformations such as the swap between the marina and fishing boats, the replacement of the disused castle with a hotel, and the addition of cafes and shops. However, the student's descriptions contain several inaccuracies regarding spatial relationships and specific features; for instance, stating that 'in the north direction, there is private beach which is recommened by hotel' misreads the layout, as the public beach remains in the north-east while the private beach is located to the south. Additionally, some details are underdeveloped and vague, placing the score at Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into four paragraphs, including a brief introduction and an overview. While there is an attempt to group information logically by comparing the past and present layouts, the progression is often disjointed and confusing. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or repetitively, such as 'At a fleeting glance' and mechanical transitions like 'In the north direction' repeatedly applied to different areas. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion and referencing are weak, leading to a score of Band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, heavily relying on the terms provided in the prompt (e.g., 'harbour', 'car park', 'marina', 'fishing boats', 'castle'). There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'how looks' instead of 'what it looks like', 'marine' instead of 'marina', and 'road is also made of passing the harbour'. These limitations restrict the response to Band 5.0, as the lexical range is barely adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent errors in basic structures, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions, such as 'The maps explain that a harbour how looks', 'there was some boats present', and 'in few space'. Punctuation is generally rudimentary. Because grammatical errors occur frequently and occasionally impede clear communication, this warrants a Band 5.0.

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

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