Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20
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 presents a harbour development from the year 2000 to the present day. The map iluustrates how the harbour was looking in past and what changes have been made now.
At a glance, the two major changes have been made till the present day, such as, increase in dock size, the dock have been doubled the size, moreover, the castle is now renovated to a hotel and owned the private beach.
To start, In 2000, at dock only one ship was able to be parked at a time, but now it's increased to two, now two ships can be adjusted at dock at a same time. Whereas, the castle have been renovated to a restaurant and aslo added a path so that people could able to walk into a hotel. Meanwhile, the public beach is turned to a private beach for the restaurant customers.
In addition, the marina which was meant for private boat and the parking for fishing boats had switched their sides with each other, now the size for marina have been increased. Moreover, some minor changes also have been tooked place, such as, shower and toilets near the car parking is totally removed and the land space is increased.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by reporting the main changes between the two maps of Porth Harbour. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, mentioning the dock size increase and the hotel development. However, there are significant inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the visual data. For instance, the student states that the castle was renovated to a restaurant, whereas the map clearly indicates it became a hotel. Additionally, the claim that shower and toilet facilities near the car park were 'totally removed' is incorrect; they remain present in the modern plan alongside an added set. Furthermore, some descriptions are vague or repetitive, such as 'two ships can be adjusted at dock at a same time.' This places the response in Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organised into paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then supporting body paragraphs detailing specific changes. However, logical progression is sometimes hindered by unclear referencing and repetitive phrasing. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately in places, such as 'To start, In 2000...' and 'Whereas, the castle have been renovated...'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas lacks smooth transitions. Overall, the structural arrangement displays some coherence, but the mechanical and occasionally faulty use of cohesive markers keeps it at a Band 5.0 level.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with several lexical errors and imprecise word choices throughout the text. Examples include 'maps presents', 'iluustrates', 'ships can be adjusted at dock', and 'tooked place'. While the student attempts some less common terms like 'renovated' and 'relocated', word forms and collocations are frequently inaccurate (e.g., 'owned the private beach' instead of 'accompanied by a private beach'). Spelling errors like 'iluustrates' and 'tooked' further detract from the lexical quality. These limitations align with Band 5.0 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar and punctuation is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the dock have been doubled'), incorrect tense usage ('how the harbour was looking in past'), and faulty passive structures ('the marina which was meant for private boat and the parking for fishing boats had switched their sides'). Punctuation is also problematic, with run-on sentences and comma splices (e.g., 'At a glance, the two major changes have been made...'). These persistent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a Band 5.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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