Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-20

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 maps show illustrate the how harbour in 2000 and present today.

Overall,The port harbour significant modernization the fishing boats and transport hub avial to a tourist people.

In this detail, In 2000 looking at the central and wetran part of the sea development acheive their 1 shower toilets and a car park.Further, The look at sout west placed on a car park they cross the road and middle of south straught road amd the end of road develop the life boat. Actually the middle of map is east sode located passenger ferries and the north upper side 1 boat at the near dock. Further the public beach in north side and south east develop the castle discussed.

In this detail,the comparison of other port harbour today major developments int he sout east. Because the caste totally discovered had been covert in to the hotel and this is a private hotel.Adiitionally a road of castle area the coffe and shopa has been newly introduced and constructed just way of west east .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad contrast between the harbour in 2000 and today, including the change from a disused castle to a hotel and the addition of cafés and shops. However, the overview is unclear (“significant modernization”) and does not accurately summarise the main changes. Several details are misreported or difficult to interpret: the fishing boats and marina switch locations, but this is not explained; the southern beach becomes private, while the north-eastern public beach remains; and the dock gains another jetty and has two boats. Some locations are also confused, such as placing passenger ferries in the middle of the map. To improve, give a clear overview of the main redevelopment, then describe the changes by area and report the key features accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has an opening, an attempted overview and two body paragraphs, so there is some basic organisation. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the descriptions jump between areas and changes without a clear organising principle. Phrases such as “In this detail” are repeated, while “Further” and “Actually” do not reliably show how the next point relates to the previous one. Some sentences combine several locations and features, making the map description hard to track. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by a paragraph on the 2000 layout and one on the changes today, or group both maps by north and south. Use linking words only where they clarify a real relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You attempt some task-related vocabulary, including “harbour,” “car park,” “passenger ferries,” “castle” and “hotel,” which shows awareness of the map topic. However, the range is basic and several word choices or spellings make the meaning difficult to understand, for example “transport hub avial to a tourist people,” “castle discussed” and “the caste totally discovered.” There are also inaccurate combinations such as “major developments in the south east” when the changes are not limited to that area. Aim for precise map vocabulary and check spelling and collocations. Useful alternatives include “redeveloped,” “relocated,” “converted into” and “facilities,” which can describe the changes more clearly and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts longer sentences and uses some time references, but grammatical control is weak and errors frequently obscure the intended meaning. The opening, “The maps show illustrate the how harbour,” contains several competing structures, while “the port harbour significant modernization” lacks a clear verb. Verb forms and sentence construction are also problematic in “the castle totally discovered had been covert in to the hotel.” Punctuation and spacing are inconsistent, including “Overall,The” and “Further, The.” Use straightforward sentence patterns first: for example, “In 2000, the castle stood on the south-eastern headland. Today, it has been replaced by a hotel.” Then check articles, verb forms, word order and sentence boundaries.

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