Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-01

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)

In the given maps of Porth Harbour,the comparision between how its look like in 2000 and today and what changes occur at harbour during these years.

First of all,in 2000 the porth harbour had only one dock and during todays harbour has two docks.

Another change of showers and toilets occur during these years from only placwe to two different places.

in 2000 Porth harbour did not have any cafe and shop but now porth harbour have safes and shops area adjacent to the lifeboat area at road which is link to Main road.

Another change which bring at the harbour is that the disused castle converted into hotel and road link is also given to hotel.

One another big change occur at Porth Harbour is that,the places of Marina private yachts and Fishing boats are switched with each others.

And the private beach at the south of harbour is now used as private beach for the hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting some key changes between the two maps while missing others and containing inaccuracies. For instance, the text mentions that the harbour had only one dock in 2000 and two today, whereas the maps show a modification in the dock area with an additional jetty and boats rather than a brand new second dock. The main features are identified, such as the switching of the marina and fishing boats, the addition of cafés and shops, and the conversion of the castle into a hotel, but these ideas remain limited and under-developed. To move to a higher band, the response would need to provide a clearer overall summary in an introduction and develop all major spatial changes more accurately without misinterpreting visual elements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some basic organisation in the presentation of changes, but the response lacks an overall progression and clear paragraph structure. The text is written as a single block of loosely connected sentences rather than well-organised paragraphs with a distinct overview. Cohesive devices are minimal, repetitive, or inaccurate, relying heavily on basic sequential connectors like "First of all," and "Another change." Referencing and linking between ideas are sometimes faulty, making the flow mechanical. To achieve a higher level, the writer needs to group related information logically, use paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the body details, and employ a wider range of cohesive devices smoothly to guide the reader through the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as "switched with each others" and "disused castle converted into hotel," but these reveal issues with word form, collocation, and missing articles. Spelling and word choice errors, such as writing "comparision" instead of "comparison," "todays" instead of "today," "placwe," and "safes" instead of "cafés," are present throughout the text. To improve lexical resource, the student should expand their range of vocabulary related to urban and architectural changes, improve spelling control, and ensure that words are combined and inflected correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple or faulty complex constructions. Frequent grammatical errors occur, including missing prepositions, incorrect verb forms and tenses (e.g., "how its look like," "what changes occur at harbour," "this changes which bring at the harbour"), and missing articles (e.g., "converted into hotel"). These errors frequently cause strain and difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, the writer must incorporate a better mix of accurate simple and complex sentences, improve control over verb tenses when describing visual data over time, and pay closer attention to basic grammatical patterns such as articles and prepositions.

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

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