Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-04

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 picture demonstrates how beach looked in 2000 and how it looks now. Overall, picture shows construction layout in 2000 and how it looks now after so many renovations.

Beach was situated on the east side of road. There were two car parks situated respectively in north and south side. There is one shower area here. Adjascent to car park, on the right side of car park, there was marine, fishing boats and passenger ferries. There is castle which remained empty in that period. Lifeboats were also available there.

After construction, Now with car parks there are two showering areas available for public. There are two docks on beach in north side. Fishing boats are now located in north area while marine is placed in south region. Lifeboat is situated in same location. Now, there are also cafe and shops for recreational activities. Hotel is on the same place but now it is being used by public coming here. There is private beach which is being used by people living in hotel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important changes, including the relocation of the fishing boats and marina, the addition of cafés and shops, and the replacement of the castle with a hotel. However, the response only partially covers the plans: the overview is vague (“after so many renovations”), and some details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the hotel replaces the disused castle rather than being “on the same place” as an existing hotel, and the northern dock has an additional jetty with two boats, not simply “two docks.” The public beach in the north-east and the change from a public to a hotel beach in the south are also not clearly compared. A more precise overview and accurate descriptions of the main changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic chronological structure: it first describes the 2000 plan and then the present-day layout. This helps the reader follow the broad comparison, and phrases such as “After construction” signal the shift between periods. However, the information within each paragraph is often presented as a list, with limited explanation of how features relate spatially. References such as “here,” “there,” and “on the same place” are unclear, while “Now” is repeated and the opening overview does not guide the reader through the key changes. Grouping details by area or by major change, and using clearer links such as “by contrast” and “in the southern part,” would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing maps, including “situated,” “located,” “north side,” and “recreational activities.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the description difficult to interpret. “Marine” is used where “marina” is needed, and “two docks on beach” does not accurately describe the added jetty. “Showering areas” is also less natural than “showers and toilets,” while “construction layout” and “so many renovations” are vague for this task. Check spelling as well: “Adjascent” should be “Adjacent.” Using precise map vocabulary and naming the features as shown would make the account clearer and more appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use simple structures, and the reader can generally understand the intended comparison. There are frequent errors in articles, tense consistency, sentence construction, and punctuation. For example, “how beach looked” needs an article, and “Overall, picture shows” also lacks one. The shift from past forms (“There were”) to present forms (“There is”) within the description of 2000 is confusing. In “After construction, Now with car parks there are two showering areas,” the opening phrase and capitalisation disrupt the sentence, while “Hotel is on the same place” has an incorrect article and preposition pattern. Practise consistent past and present tenses for the two plans, and build complete sentences with accurate articles and punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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