Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-07

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 map illustrates the layout of a Beechwood Farm in 1950 and the present day.

Overall, it can be seen that the Beechwood Farm has undergone substantial changes since 1950.Whereas fruit areas, soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse and chicken area have remained unchanged.

To initiate with, the majority significant changes have taken place in northern part, where the area occupied by sheep in 1950 has been transformed into a camping site and an area of solar panel field. Also, the parking facilities has been added at the main entrance.Whereas, the new farm shop has been added at fruit trees area.

To add further, the surrounding tracks have been converted into roads to improve access . Additionally, the barn has been relocated to south-east, where several holiday cottages and another parking has been constructed. In contrast, farmhouse, soft fruits, vegetables and the chicken enclosure all located beside the river have remained unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the transformation well. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the conversion of the sheep area into a camping site and solar panels, and the addition of infrastructure like the farm shop and holiday cottages. You also correctly noted the elements that remained unchanged. However, the overview is slightly weak; while it mentions 'substantial changes', it could be more descriptive by summarising the nature of the shift from a purely agricultural site to a more commercial/leisure-oriented one. The inclusion of all relevant data points ensures the task is addressed adequately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, moving from an overview to specific changes in the north and then to other areas. You use transition signals like 'To initiate with', 'Also', and 'In contrast' to guide the reader. However, some of these devices are used slightly awkwardly or mechanically (e.g., 'To initiate with' is not standard academic phrasing). Referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a report of this nature, helping to separate the different zones of the farm effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'transformed', 'relocated', 'converted', and 'constructed'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'majority significant changes' (should be 'most significant') and 'chicken area' (could be 'chicken enclosure'). You also have some minor punctuation and spacing errors, such as the extra spaces before 'Whereas' and 'new'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('parking facilities has been added' should be 'have been added') and article usage ('the northern part' instead of 'northern part'). Additionally, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'all located beside the river', which could be integrated more naturally. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent article usage would improve your accuracy.

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

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