Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 4.5)

The first diagram show the structure of harbour in 2000 and we should explain how its look today.

In the first diagram we can see their a main road passing through harbour in 2000. When we enterted from the south side their is a parkinglot and some toilets for people.After that their is a marin which is called private yacht stand.The boats are floting on river water and the process of transport and export would be working through docks,and their are also fishing boats for fishmen.

Now we explain the structure of harbour today. Both are maps are quite same but their is little bit difference which we can see.As in 2000 their is main road as well but the main difference is at the south. In 2000 when their was castle. Now today is a hotel and also we can see their are few shops and cafe have been made near that hotel.In 2000 their was one parking lot and now today their are two parkinglot and

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the two time periods and mention several relevant features, including the main road, marina, fishing boats, hotel, and cafés. However, the response reports the plans only minimally and does not give a clear overview of the main changes. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the marina is not described as being relocated, and the statement that there was “one parking lot” in 2000 overlooks the two car parks shown. The account also ends mid-sentence and omits important changes such as the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, the hotel’s private beach, and the expanded dock. To improve, summarise the major transformations accurately and compare the two plans systematically rather than describing isolated details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic time-based structure, moving from the 2000 plan to the present, and phrases such as “Now we explain” signal this shift. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression within each section is weak: features are listed without a clear spatial route or grouping, and the final sentence stops after “and,” leaving the comparison unfinished. Linking expressions such as “After that” and “As in 2000” are used, but they do not consistently clarify how locations or changes relate. Organise the report into a brief overview followed by one paragraph on the main changes, using clear references such as “in the northern basin” and “south of the road.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “main road,” “docks,” “fishing boats,” “private yacht,” and “hotel,” so the reader can identify several features. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or informal for an academic map description. “Transport and export” is not supported by the plans, while “boats are floating on river water” is an awkward description of the harbour. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form problems, including “enterted,” “marin,” “floting,” and “parkinglot,” which can slow understanding. Use precise location and change vocabulary, such as “is situated,” “was replaced by,” and “was relocated,” and check spelling and standard forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt both simple and connected sentences, for example, “Now we explain the structure of harbour today” and “In 2000 when their was castle.” However, control is weak: errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction occur frequently and sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “The first diagram show,” “Both are maps are quite same,” and “their are few shops and cafe have been made.” The response also shifts awkwardly between past and present when comparing the plans, and the final sentence is incomplete. Practise accurate basic clauses first, then use controlled comparison structures such as “In 2000, the castle stood…, whereas today it has been replaced by a hotel.”

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