Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-21

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 compare the layout of the porth harbour in 2000 with its present-day arrangment.

Overall, the harbour has been developed extensively. While the two car parks, lifeboat and the public beach on northeast corner remained in place, extra showers and toilets and cafes and shops have been added. Boats and marina have been replaced by one another, Whereas the dock has been extended, the

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the two maps and give a broad overview that the harbour has been extensively developed. You also note several genuine changes, including added facilities, the exchange of the marina and fishing-boat areas, and an extended dock. However, the response is only a minimal account of the task: it ends mid-sentence after “whereas the dock has been extended, the” and omits important changes such as the castle becoming a hotel and the southern beach becoming private. The claim that the two car parks remained in place is also incomplete, since an additional showers-and-toilets block and car park are shown. The response is 84 words below the required minimum, leaving the main features substantially under-reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening sentence followed by an overview, and the ideas are generally related to the maps. Linking expressions such as “While” and “Whereas” show an effort to compare the two plans. However, the response stops abruptly at “whereas the dock has been extended, the,” so there is no completed progression or concluding detail. The overview also combines several changes in one long sentence, making the relationships between retained features and new developments less clear. Use separate, complete sentences to group changes by location or type, and ensure each comparison is finished. This would make the information easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “layout,” “present-day,” “developed extensively,” “car parks,” and “dock has been extended.” These choices communicate the general subject and show more than a purely basic vocabulary. However, the range is narrow because the response is very short, and some wording is imprecise: “boats and marina have been replaced by one another” does not clearly explain that the fishing boats and marina changed locations. “Arrangment” is misspelled, and “cafes” should be written with the accent in “cafés” if following the map label. Aim for precise verbs such as “relocated” and “converted,” and use the specific labels for the hotel and beach to report changes accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both a simple opening sentence and a more complex overview, using “While” and “Whereas” to connect contrasting information. The opening is understandable, but the response contains errors in sentence control. The final clause is incomplete: “Whereas the dock has been extended, the” leaves the reader waiting for a main clause. In the overview, “Boats and marina have been replaced by one another” has an unclear grammatical relationship, and “extra showers and toilets and cafes and shops have been added” would be clearer with more controlled coordination. Check sentence boundaries and complete every subordinate clause before finishing. A wider range of accurately completed sentences would improve clarity.

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