Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-09
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 plan shows the changes done in the Beechwood Farm from 1950 till today the map shows the development in the farm in many areas for modern society
In 1950, it is visble that there is not much of a development present in the area only farms and poultry farms are present with a sand track present in between the sheep ground and farm. While today there are major changes done making the place more suitable for tourists and people visiting the farm for example the roads are well developed with a barn added to the end of the road , there are new solar panel installed on the side of parking and barn area is converted to holiday cottages a farm shop is also visible on the side of the road with a camping field in place of sheep field
In conclusion , there are major changes done for the purpose of promoting tourism. People can come here for vacations and holidays , camping and exploring the nature
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main features of the farm's transformation, such as the conversion of the barn to cottages and the addition of solar panels. However, the overview is somewhat limited. While you mention 'major changes', you could improve by explicitly contrasting the agricultural focus of 1950 with the tourism-oriented layout of today. The description of the layout is generally accurate, but some details, such as the specific location of the new road or the removal of the original track, could be more precisely described to fully capture the spatial changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a report. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. The sentences are often joined by simple conjunctions or lack transition words, making the flow feel somewhat mechanical. For instance, the second paragraph is a long, run-on sentence that would benefit from better punctuation and linking phrases to separate distinct ideas. Using more varied transition signals like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in contrast' would improve the logical progression between the two time periods.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'poultry farms', 'solar panel', and 'holiday cottages'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'changes done in the Beechwood Farm' (should be 'changes made to') and 'not much of a development present' (which is slightly unnatural). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise descriptive language related to maps and spatial changes, such as 'transformed', 'replaced', or 'situated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There is a lack of complex sentence forms, and punctuation is frequently missing, particularly between independent clauses. For example, the opening paragraph is a run-on sentence that lacks a full stop. Additionally, there are minor errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'new solar panel installed' (should be plural) and 'a barn added' (which lacks a main verb to connect it to the subject). Increasing the variety of sentence structures and ensuring correct punctuation would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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