Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 layout below compares the site of the Beechwood farm in 1950 and the same site today.

Overall, from 1950 farm have developed a lot with new things added like the solar panels, holiday cottages, farm shop, parking space and campaign field.

Compared to farm in 1950 there have been a lot of development. Earlier there were tracks around the field, today proper roads has been made constructed in place of the tracks . Agricultural part allocated for fruit trees , soft fruits and vegetables is still the same as it was in 1950's. The sheeps have been removed from farm, and place allocated to sheeps is being used as parking space, camping feild with tents and solar panels.Barn size have been descreased and move from corner to the intersection of the road, and in place of barn the holdiay cottages have been set up. Farmhouse and chickens are located in the same place as it was earlier situated.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the farm's development, such as the addition of solar panels, holiday cottages, and the change in land use. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, analytical summary of the most significant changes. While the response identifies key developments, it misses some nuances, such as the expansion of the road network or the specific relocation of the barn. The description is largely a list of changes rather than a cohesive summary of the transformation. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking trends, such as the shift from purely agricultural use to a more diversified, tourism-oriented site.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into three short paragraphs, which is a logical structure for this task. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'Compared to' and 'earlier' are used, but the flow between sentences is often mechanical. The paragraphing is acceptable, but the internal cohesion within the second paragraph is weak, as it jumps between different features without smooth transitions. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas, such as 'consequently,' 'in contrast,' or 'furthermore,' to create a more natural progression of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'sheeps' (sheep), 'feild' (field), 'descreased' (decreased), and 'holdiay' (holiday). The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptors like 'new things added' or 'developed a lot.' To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed,' 'converted,' 'replaced,' or 'extended,' and ensure accurate spelling of common terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'from 1950 farm have developed' (the farm has developed), 'proper roads has been made constructed' (proper roads have been constructed), and 'place allocated to sheeps is being used' (the area previously used for sheep). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly verb tenses and pluralization, and aim for more varied sentence structures.

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

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