Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10

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 the site of Beechwood Farm in 1950 and the same site today. The summary of the given information by selecting and reporting the main features, and comparisons where relevant are as follows:

First of all the similarities between the 1950s farm and today's farm are the main road ,the river, soft fruits, vegetables, farm house and chickens portion.

The track is converted into (mini) road. In Fruit trees section Farm shop is added. Whereas, Barn is built near chicken's portion where the shape of the road is V.

The sheep are removed and at that place these places are added. the list is given below:

1. 1st parking in front of Farm shop.

2. A camping field .

3. Solar panels area and also a parking in this section.

So, the sheep section is divided into main three portions.

And the last remaining place is Holidays cottage which is placed at the previous place of Barn.

In short the 1950s farm is very different from the today's farm especially sheep place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response identifies the main features of the farm's transformation, such as the addition of the farm shop, camping field, and solar panels. However, the presentation is problematic. Using a numbered list is not appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 1 report, which requires a formal, cohesive essay structure. Furthermore, the description of the changes is somewhat fragmented and lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant trends, such as the shift from agricultural production to commercial and leisure activities. The comparison between the two time periods is present but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The use of a numbered list significantly disrupts the flow and coherence of the response. While there is an attempt to use transition words like 'First of all' and 'In short', the overall structure is disjointed. Paragraphing is insufficient, and the logical progression of ideas is hindered by the informal, list-based format. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical way, and the referencing (e.g., 'these places are added') is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes on the map effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. Phrases like 'chickens portion' and 'sheep place' are imprecise and unnatural. While the student correctly identifies features like 'solar panels' and 'farm shop', the range of vocabulary is limited. There is a reliance on basic descriptive language, and the response would benefit from more sophisticated terminology related to map description, such as 'replaced by', 'transformed into', or 'situated in the vicinity of'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the similarities... are the main road, the river... and chickens portion' (lack of parallel structure) and 'at that place these places are added' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas and the use of parentheses. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in sentence construction and word order prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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