Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12

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 compares the development of Beechwood Farm in 1950 and today.

Overall, the sheep area showed significant development today, moreover the growth of tourism increased as there is development of holiday cottages.

In 1950, there is the river which bounds the whole farm. Almost the half of the area was covered by the sheep, while the other half covered by fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse, chickens and barn, however the parts of farm separated by the rough tracks.

Today, the area which covered by sheep is now developed with solar panels, two parking and camping field, moreover the track became road and development of barn at the and of triangular road is seen, in addition another change is holiday cottages are open, and also the opening of farm shop in fruit tree area has developed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main features of the farm's development, the description is somewhat superficial. You mention the sheep area and the introduction of holiday cottages, but the analysis lacks detail regarding the spatial layout and the specific nature of the changes. The response is under-developed and misses the opportunity to provide a more comprehensive comparison between the two time periods. To improve, ensure you describe the location of features more precisely and extend your analysis to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You rely heavily on repetitive transitions like 'moreover' and 'in addition,' which makes the flow feel disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited, and some sentences are awkward, such as 'the area which covered by sheep is now developed.' To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the comparison of the two maps.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use basic terms like 'developed' and 'area' repeatedly. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'the growth of tourism increased' (tourism grows, or tourism increases, but not both) and 'at the and of triangular road' (likely a spelling error for 'end'). To improve, incorporate more specific vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed,' 'converted,' 'replaced,' or 'situated,' and ensure you check your spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. There are issues with verb tenses, such as 'In 1950, there is the river,' which should be 'there was.' You also have problems with article usage and relative clauses, for example, 'the area which covered by sheep' should be 'the area which was covered by sheep.' While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of past tense when describing historical data, as well as ensuring your sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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

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