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 was the river which bordered the whole farm. Almost 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 end 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 some key features, such as the addition of solar panels and holiday cottages, the description is somewhat superficial. You have not fully developed the comparisons between the two time periods, and the lack of sufficient length means that some areas of the map are not described with enough detail. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of the changes and expand on the spatial relationships between the features to meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical and sometimes grammatically incorrect, such as the misuse of semicolons before 'moreover' and 'however'. The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel a bit repetitive. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that punctuation is used correctly to connect your ideas smoothly. Improving the logical transition between the 1950 description and the current layout would also enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'the area which covered by' and 'there is development of' are used frequently, which limits the range of expression. There is little evidence of less common or more precise vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed,' 'converted,' or 'situated.' To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more varied descriptive language and ensure that your word choices are precise and natural in the context of describing geographical changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly regarding sentence structure and verb forms. For example, 'the other half covered by' should be 'the other half was covered by,' and 'two parking and camping field' lacks proper pluralisation. The use of punctuation is also problematic, specifically the incorrect use of semicolons to join independent clauses. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic sentence accuracy and correct subject-verb agreement will help you build a stronger foundation for more complex grammatical structures.

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

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