Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-29
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 shows how a harbour looks in 2000 and present.
Overall, they convert disused castle into hotel .They added cafes and shops and make two docks. They also change public beach from private beach (only for the hotel). They exchange the location between fishing boat and marina(private yachts).
In 2000, there were showers and toilets, cark park and marina(private yachts) in the north near main road. Another car park was also connected to a small road also there was a fishing boats area beside it. A lifeboat was at the end of a small road. There was a unused castel toward the south also a public beach was there. In east, there was a dock with passenger ferries and near it a public beach avaibable.
Nowadays, they made changes on castle and public beach near it. Also they added cafes and shops near the lifeboat connected to a small road. They added another dock . While, marina(private yachts) and fishing boats change position.
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 the main changes between the two maps, such as the conversion of the castle into a hotel, the addition of cafes and shops, and the swapping of the marina and fishing boat locations. However, the response lacks a clear and cohesive overview paragraph, instead scattering summary points at the beginning and omitting several significant details, such as the additions to the northern dock and the second car park/toilet block in the south-west. Furthermore, there are factual inaccuracies or confusing phrasing, such as claiming they 'change public beach from private beach', whereas the public beach in the south became a private beach for the hotel while another public beach remained in the north-east. Because the development of information is limited and some descriptions are unclear, this performance aligns with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into paragraphs, starting with an introductory overview attempt, followed by body paragraphs detailing the 2000 map and present changes respectively. However, progression is choppy and mechanical. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes inaccurate, as seen in transitions like 'Nowadays, they made changes on castle and public beach near it.' Referencing is occasionally vague or confusing ('they convert disused castle into hotel'). Paragraphing is attempted but lacks internal logical structuring, leading to a disjointed reading experience. This matches the characteristics of Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, such as 'added', 'change', 'small road', and 'dock'. There are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'cark park' (spelling error), 'unused castel', and 'avaibable'. The student attempts some less common items related to the visual data like 'marina', 'fishing boats', and 'passenger ferries', but overall range is limited. Word formation and spelling errors ('avaibable', 'cark') occasionally cause minor strain for the reader, fitting Band 5 descriptors well.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student uses a mix of simple and attempting-complex sentence structures, but control is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles, prepositions, and tense usage ('how a harbour looks in 2000 and present', 'a small road also there was a fishing boats area', 'They exchange the location'). Punctuation is basic. Although the errors do not completely obscure the intended meaning, they are frequent enough to impede smooth reading and prevent the response from reaching Band 6, placing it firmly at Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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