Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-23
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 map ilustrate the change to plan of porth harbour at 2000 and how it change today.
Overall, the most noticeable feature is that new showers and toilets is introduce. Hotel is introduce in today plan.Additionally cafe and shops id also built for passenger.
In the south side ,in 2000 only one toilets and showers were located there but by comparison today another showers and toilets is expand beside to car park.Another significant change in today compare with 2000 is Marina (private yacht and fishing boats is replace with each other place.Main road stay the same to their route in 2000 and in today.
On the east side,In 2000 only one route of dock is there but in contrast now another route of dock in introduce.Meanwhile public health and passenger ferries remain same in 2000 and in today.Next to life boat there is no cafe and shops were located in 2000 but today cafe and shops is introduce in plan of porth harbour.Additionaly castel (discuses) replace with hotel in today plan. And private beech stay the same to thier place in both plans.
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 describing some of the main changes between the two maps of Porth Harbour, such as the additions of the hotel, cafes, and shops, as well as the swapping of the marina and fishing boats. However, the response lacks a clear and coherent overall summary. Several features are misread or inaccurately reported, such as claiming that 'another showers and toilets is expand beside to car park' (the second block is actually added in the south-west, but the text lacks clarity) and the mention of 'public health' instead of public beach. Furthermore, comparisons are underdeveloped and the lack of a proper overview paragraph keeps this response at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is somewhat organised, moving from general features to specific details on the south and east sides. However, paragraphing is poor and confusing, with ideas lumped together in a short body of text. Cohesive devices are repetitive and basic (e.g., 'In 2000', 'today', 'Another significant change', 'Meanwhile'), and referencing is occasionally faulty, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships on the map. The lack of a clear structural framework leads to a Band 5.0 score for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is quite limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms from the prompt ('harbour', 'car park', 'marina', 'fishing boats', 'hotel'). There are frequent word-formation and spelling errors, such as 'ilustrate', 'discuses' (disused), 'beech' (beach), and 'castel' (castle). The student attempts some less common phrasing like 'by comparison today', but awkward word choices and inaccurate collocations ('public health' for public beach) restrict the lexical range, placing it firmly at Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures. Simple sentences predominate, and attempts at complex or passive structures are frequently faulty, such as 'new showers and toilets is introduce' and 'cafe and shops is introduce'. There are constant errors in subject-verb agreement ('toilets and showers were... another showers and toilets is expand'), tense usage, and articles. These frequent grammatical errors cause strain for the reader, justifying a Band 4.5 or 5.0 score; given that basic communication is maintained despite the errors, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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