Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02
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 plans show a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.
Overall, the plans develop different facilities for people which were not available in old harbour area.
The harbour area in 2000 was not filled with different facilities for individuals. There were two car parks one linked with main road and other with local road. There was a public beach in the north east side of the harbour and one another was in the south side of harbour area. The passenger ferries were in the center and marina was in the west near the car park of the main road. The showers and toilets were in the north of the car park. A road which was coming from main road ended at the lifeboat area. The fishing boats were in the west south of the harbour near the second car park. The castle located in the south east corner near the small public beach.
Now, the harbour area is filled with additional services. The new facilities are being added in the harbour. The showers and toilets are now also available to both car parks and the old car park which was linked with local road is now linked with main road. The public beach and passenger ferries are on the same place but one more dock is being added between boats. The cafe and shops are newly opened in the west of lifeboat. The castle area is now being replaced with the hotel. The public beach which was near the castle is now being used for hotel as
private beach. While the fishing area is on the same place.
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 response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to describe the main changes between the two maps, the overview is vague, stating only that the plans develop 'different facilities for people which were not available in old harbour area.' The selection of features is limited, and some descriptions contain inaccuracies or lack precise spatial orientation, such as stating that 'passenger ferries were in the center' when they are situated near the northern dock. Furthermore, some ideas are under-developed, and the response lacks a well-integrated comparison between the two time periods, which keeps the task achievement at this level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is some organisation in the response, but it lacks a clear overall progression. The essay is divided into paragraphs separating the past and present, which is logical, but the internal sequencing of details feels random rather than following a structured spatial overview. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or repetitively, such as the constant use of 'there was' and 'now', and referencing is occasionally unclear, making the flow somewhat disjointed and hindering a smooth reading experience.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic information about the maps. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'develop different facilities for people which were not available in old harbour area' and 'fishing area is on the same place', which can cause some difficulty for the reader. The student attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'facilities', 'marina', and 'passenger ferries', but overall control of lexical range remains restricted, matching the expectations for this band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer uses a limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences or basic coordination. Attempts at complex sentences are often faulty, as seen in restrictive clauses and prepositions, for example, 'two car parks one linked with main road and other with local road.' There are frequent grammatical errors regarding articles ('in old harbour area', 'in west'), prepositions ('in the north east side'), and verb forms ('new facilities are being added', 'dock is being added'). These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader throughout the response.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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