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 pictorial representations depict the location of a farm during the year 1950 and the changes made at present.

In 1950, there was a place for sheep in the Northeast direction. Just below this, there was a railway track adjoining the Northwest, East and South direction. In the Southeast of the site, there was a barn, farmhouse and a place where chickens are kept. The river flows under the road from the Northwest direction towards the Southeast direction. Moving further, there are fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables in the Northwest direction of the site.

At present, plethora of changes are being made in the farm. The place which is earlier occupied for sheep is now used for camping field and parking whereas, in the Northeast direction, solar panels are installed along with the parking area. The railway track is constructed as road which follows the same direction as earlier, but a barn was built in the Southeast direction. A farm shop is opened near the fruit trees. A holiday cottage is also constructed in the Southeast direction.

Overall, number of significant changes are made on the farm location during the year 1950 and in current year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, identifying key changes such as the conversion of the railway to a road and the addition of new facilities like the farm shop and solar panels. However, the description of locations is occasionally imprecise (e.g., 'Northeast direction' for the sheep area, which appears more central/north). While the main features are reported, the comparison between the two time periods could be more analytical. The overview is somewhat weak, as it merely states that 'significant changes are made' without highlighting the nature of these changes, such as the shift from agricultural production to tourism and renewable energy.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the 1950 layout from the current layout. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'In 1950', 'At present', and 'Moving further', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing of locations could be smoother. The progression of ideas is clear, but the overall flow would benefit from more sophisticated linking words to connect the changes more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'pictorial representations', 'solar panels', and 'holiday cottage'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'plethora of changes are being made' (which is a bit informal and grammatically awkward in this context) and 'place which is earlier occupied'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. More specific terminology related to map description, such as 'transformed', 'replaced', or 'situated', would improve the lexical quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'a place where chickens are kept' (tense inconsistency) and 'number of significant changes are made' (missing article 'a'). The phrase 'The railway track is constructed as road' is also slightly awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over verb tenses is generally acceptable, but the consistency in describing past versus present states could be more refined.

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

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