Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-27
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 given maps differentiate the modern harbour and the harbour in 2000.
Today the harbour has been developed with the car parkings, showers and toilets, cafes, shops and hotels but in 2000 these facilities were missing.In 2000, only one parking was linked to the main road but both parkings are linked to main road.The area specified for fishing boats has been replaced with marina for private yatches and vice versa.In place of disused castle, hotels are built and the public beach adjacent to the castle is reserved for the hotels.Extra dock is eliminated and developed for the public beach.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response is severely under length, containing only 99 words against the minimum requirement of 150 words. This significantly impacts task achievement as the overview is incomplete and key features are omitted or described only superficially. While the student attempts to highlight some changes, such as the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the description lacks sufficient detail and fails to fully report the main features and comparisons. Furthermore, there are minor inaccuracies in the interpretation of the map, such as the mention of an extra dock being eliminated when the dock actually gained a second jetty. Due to the failure to meet the word count and the under-developed content, this criterion is restricted to a lower band score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
The response suffers from poor organization, largely because it consists of a single block of text with virtually no paragraphing. The transition between sentences feels abrupt, and cohesive devices are minimal or misused, leading to a choppy reading experience. For instance, the transition 'Today the harbour has been developed...' to 'In 2000, only one parking...' lacks smooth signposting. Logical progression is difficult to follow because multiple disparate changes are lumped together without clear grouping by location or theme. Consequently, the structural management of the essay falls below the standard required for higher bands.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, relying heavily on terms lifted directly from the prompt or simple functional words ('harbour', 'car park', 'hotels', 'beach'). There are spelling and word-form errors, such as 'car parkings' instead of 'car parks' and 'yatches' instead of 'yachts'. While the student attempts a few less common items, the range is limited and inadequate for a fully realized academic task. Word choice is sometimes unnatural, and the lack of lexical variety restricts the score in this category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, consisting mostly of simple and straightforward complex sentences. There are notable mechanical and grammatical errors throughout the response, including missing articles and punctuation issues (e.g., 'missing.In 2000' and 'linked to main road' lacking an article). Additionally, prepositional usage is occasionally awkward. Although the basic meaning can usually be understood, the frequency of errors and the lack of varied, error-free complex structures prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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