Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.



 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The plans below show information about a farm site in 1950 and the same farm today. The farm is called Beechwood Farm. In 1950, there were only a few facilities. However, much changes are made. Only few features remain unchanged.

In 1950, there is a river and a road. The road crossed the river via a bridge. And a track is connected with the road.The river seems so big and long. By the road side, there are fruit trees and with that there is a seperate area of soft fruits, there is also an area for vegetables. There were sheeps beside the road. There is a farmhouse connected with track, river and vegetables. The farmhouse contained chickens, and a burn was located neaarby.

Now there are alot of changes in farmhouse site. The road crossed the river via a big bridge. With a road, there is another small road that is constructed between farmhouse site. On one hand, there is a small parking area, one tree and camping field. Outside this, there are solar panels and one more parking. On other hand, the road is connected to the barn. With the main road, there is small farm shop and fruit trees in one portion. In the second portion, there are soft fruits and after that in third portion there are vegetables. Then, the road is connected to the barn inside the farmhouse. In the farm house, there are chickens and holiday cottages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two time periods and mention several relevant changes, including the addition of parking, a camping field, solar panels, a farm shop and holiday cottages. You also note that fruit, soft-fruit and vegetable areas remain. However, the response does not give a clear overview of the main transformation, and some details are inaccurate or unclear: the plans show the river crossing beneath the main road, not a bridge, and the farmhouse is not described as connected to the river or vegetables. The relationship between the new facilities and the existing farm buildings is also difficult to follow. To strengthen the report, summarise the major change in an overview, then compare the locations and features that remained or were added with greater accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic chronological structure, moving from the 1950 plan to the present, and uses some signposting such as “In 1950” and “Now.” This gives the reader a general sense of the comparison. However, progression within the paragraphs is uneven: details shift between the road, river, fields and buildings without a consistent spatial route. Connectors such as “On one hand” and “On other hand” do not clearly distinguish two comparable groups, while repeated “there is” constructions make the description feel list-like. Some references, including “Outside this” and “in the farmhouse,” are unclear. Organise each period from one side of the site to the other, and use linking phrases to show precise location and change.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a farm plan, including “river,” “track,” “fruit trees,” “parking area,” “camping field” and “solar panels.” This allows the reader to recognise many of the features being described. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “much changes are made,” “connected to the barn inside the farmhouse,” and “one portion.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “sheeps,” “seperate,” “neaarby” and “alot,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise map language and avoid vague expressions. For example, describe features as being “located north of” or “to the east of” another feature, rather than relying on general phrases such as “outside this.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentences and uses past and present forms to distinguish the two plans. However, control is inconsistent, and many sentences contain errors in tense, agreement, articles or sentence boundaries. For example, “much changes are made” has incorrect agreement, while “there were sheeps” combines an incorrect plural form with a past-tense construction. “The road crossed the river” is also presented as a fact about a bridge that is not shown. Several clauses are joined awkwardly, as in “By the road side, there are fruit trees and with that there is a seperate area…”; the full stop after “And” also creates a fragment. Practise accurate simple comparisons first, then combine them using controlled subordinate clauses and consistent past-versus-present tense.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.