Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-01

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 Map below show a harbour in the year 2000 and how its looks in this contemporary world.

Overall, we can see lots of changes under Porth Harbour including car parks areas, developing new dock areas, new cafes and shops around beach and some private hotels.

In year 2000, Porth Harbour connected to the main road and beside the road there's a first entrance of Harbour which is connected to the three distinct categories like car parking, shower and toilets areas, after that we can see Marina name palce to keep private yachts and if we go straight through eastside on the same road we can find two dock areas for to keep minimum boats there for passengers femes and after that theres a space for public beach side on the vertically lane shows from north to east. From the main there is a another parking area and large fishing boat site where you can keep private boats and do fishing and if we move further on the eastside road we can find a life boat dock for to help someone and at the end of the road there is a big castle which is diused by individuals and on south side we can see a private beach connceted to harbour.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the two time periods and mention several relevant features, including the marina, fishing boats, car parks, lifeboat station and castle. However, the response only partially summarises the plans: it mainly describes the 2000 layout and gives little account of what changed in the harbour today. The overview says there are “lots of changes” but does not clearly summarise the main transformations. Some details are also inaccurate or unclear: the southern beach was public in 2000, not private, and the map shows a dock and passenger ferries at the northern entrance rather than “two dock areas” for passenger boats. To improve, compare the two plans directly, especially the exchanged locations of the marina and fishing boats, the new hotel and private beach, and the added facilities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure, beginning with an introduction and overview before moving into a description of the 2000 plan. Directional phrases such as “if we go straight through eastside” and “if we move further” attempt to guide the reader around the map. However, there is no clear progression to the present-day plan, and most information is packed into one long paragraph. The repeated use of “and after that” and “if we” makes the account feel like a route description rather than a comparison. Organise the details into clear paragraphs—for example, an overview followed by one paragraph on the northern area and another on changes to the southern area—and use concise links such as “whereas” and “by contrast.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-related vocabulary, including “harbour,” “main road,” “Marina,” “public beach” and “car parking,” so the reader can recognise many of the features being described. However, the range is limited and several choices or spellings make the meaning difficult to follow, such as “femes,” “palce,” “diused” and “connceted.” Some phrases are also imprecise or unnatural, including “first entrance of Harbour,” “keep private boats” and “private hotels.” Aim for accurate map vocabulary and natural collocations: describe facilities as being “located beside” or “adjacent to” a feature, and use “berth” or “moor” for boats. Check spelling carefully, particularly for key labels copied from the plan.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, but the response relies heavily on extended sentences joined by “and,” “after that” and “if,” and these are often difficult to control. Errors occur in basic sentence forms, for example “The Map below show” and “how its looks,” where subject–verb agreement and pronoun form are incorrect. Other examples include “there's a first entrance” and “there is a another parking area,” which show problems with articles and sentence construction. Tense and phrasing are also inconsistent when describing the map. Use a mix of shorter, complete sentences and controlled complex sentences, and check agreement, articles and punctuation. For example: “In 2000, the marina was in the northern basin, while fishing boats occupied the southern one.”

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