Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-30
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)
This diagram illustrate about a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons 2000 and how looks today.
This topic about 2 main features of porth harbour. First one was porth harbour in 2000 and second one is today porth harbour.
Porth harbour main road in 2000 and today is same in the west side. showers and toilets and car park is same side and same place toady and in 2000 in the north side but southern side some changing toady in 2000, only car park and fishing boats was southern side but today add with showers and toilets and move the marina private yachts to replace fishing boats.Life boat road is place was 2000 and today. in 2000 was only 1 dock but today is 2 dock. passenger ferries only one in 2000 and today. in 2000 beach was the public but today is private beach. In 2000 is castle discused but today not hotel is replaced castle discused.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the two time periods and report several relevant changes, including the west-side main road remaining in place, the marina and fishing boats changing locations, and the castle being replaced by a hotel. However, the summary is only partial: it does not give a clear overview of the harbour’s main transformation, and some details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the southern beach changes from public to private, but the north-eastern public beach remains; your statement that “in 2000 beach was the public but today is private beach” could suggest all beaches changed. The dock has an additional jetty and two boats, rather than simply becoming “2 dock.” The response also includes 22 words copied from the task prompt, which do not contribute to the summary. Select the major changes and describe them precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
There is a basic attempt to organise the response by introducing the two plans and then listing changes. Some comparisons are grouped together, such as the road remaining on the west side and the marina’s relocation. However, the ideas are not arranged in a clear progression, and the response is largely one long paragraph with several changes joined together. Phrases such as “southern side some changing” and “Life boat road is place” make the relationships between features difficult to follow. The repeated opening statements also do not help the reader understand the overall pattern. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and for grouped details, and connect each comparison clearly with terms such as “whereas,” “by contrast,” and “in addition.”
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “main road,” “car park,” “fishing boats,” “marina,” and “private beach,” so the reader can recognise several features. However, the range is limited and some wording is repetitive or imprecise, which sometimes makes the intended change difficult to understand. For instance, “2 dock” does not accurately describe an additional jetty and boats, while “castle discused” appears to mean a disused castle. Phrases such as “same side and same place” and “some changing” are too general for describing a plan. Aim to use precise location and change vocabulary, such as “remained,” “was relocated,” “was converted into,” and “adjacent to,” while checking spelling and natural word combinations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response relies mainly on short, simple statements and attempts some longer comparisons, but these longer sentences are often difficult to control. Errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction occur frequently, as in “This diagram illustrate,” “showers and toilets and car park is,” and “in 2000 was only 1 dock.” The sentence beginning “only car park and fishing boats was southern side” also lacks a clear grammatical structure, making the locations and changes hard to interpret. There is some use of past and present forms, but tense choices are inconsistent when comparing the two plans. Practise complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use consistent past-tense descriptions for 2000 alongside present-tense descriptions of today.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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