Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-05
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 two maps below illustrates locations of different destinations at porth harbour in the year 2000 and today.
Overall, many destinations and facilities available at the location are mentioned, but the location of some spots is changed today as compare to the year 2000. In addition all four east, west, north and south directions are mentioned at the top of the map.
The place where was castle in 2000, now converted into a hotel today. Moreover, in 2000 the castle was abondened. Although private beach today is now used by hotel, which was open for general public in 2000.
The place where was a cafe in 2000 is now not in use, and there is no cafe now. the place of marina and fishing boats is interchanged, while another showers and toilet building is constructed beside the southern car park today.
The location of the public beach is same today as it was in 2000. Furthermore, the lifeboat is located in south eastern location as it was in 2000
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the task partially, attempting to present an overview and select some key changes between the two maps. However, the overview is somewhat superficial and describes the maps in a mechanical way without fully capturing the broader transformation of the area. Furthermore, there are noticeable inaccuracies in reading the visual data; for instance, the text claims that 'the place where was a cafe in 2000 is now not in use', which misinterprets the addition of new cafés and shops near the lifeboat station, and incorrectly states that a public beach was converted into a private beach. While several key shifts are identified, such as the interchange of the marina and fishing boats and the replacement of the castle by a hotel, the development of ideas remains limited and under-developed, keeping the response at this band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The writing demonstrates some organisation with an attempt at an introduction and body paragraphs, but there is a lack of clear overall progression. Paragraphing is used, but the internal logical flow within paragraphs is disjointed. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately, such as the repetitive use of time markers and contrast connectors like 'Moreover', 'Although', and 'Furthermore' rather than building smooth thematic links between sentences. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the spatial relationships and comparisons between the 2000 map and the current plan. To improve, the student needs to group related spatial changes more logically and use cohesive devices to create a seamless progression of information.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic descriptions of the harbour features. The response uses a restricted range of words, relying heavily on basic terms like 'place', 'destinations', 'facilities', and 'spot'. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'abondened' (spelling error) and phrasing like 'now converted into a hotel today' (redundancy). Attempts to use less common vocabulary are sparse and often marred by inappropriate collocations or word forms. To reach a higher band, the student should expand their lexical repertoire with precise vocabulary relevant to describing maps and urban development, ensuring correct spelling and natural collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response shows a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside poorly controlled attempts at complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with relative clauses, missing subjects, and awkward prepositional phrases, as seen in 'The place where was castle in 2000' and 'The place where was a cafe in 2000'. Errors also occur in verb tense consistency and voice, such as 'is now not in use' mixed with past references. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a restricted grammatical control. To improve, the student should practise forming complex sentences accurately, paying careful attention to clause structures, verb patterns, and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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