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)

Here the given maps compress changes that had been made to the site in 1950.

Overall, Beechwood Farm has witnessed significant changes and now the site is suitable for diverse purposes such as parking, camping and solar panels. Moreover the track has been replaced with roads.

To start with, Sheep site has been replaced with various things such as Camping Field which also contains Parking in the corner. Similarly solar panel has been introduced beside of camping field which also includes parking. In addition track has been replaced with road and now it is connected to the Barn.

Furthermore, Barn on the right side has been replaced with Holiday cottages whereas Farmhouse and Chickens site remained intact. Moreover, Soft fruits, vegetables remained untouched with the edition of Farm shop on the Fruit trees area. Lastly, highway and river remained same.

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 the report identifies the main features of the maps, such as the replacement of the barn and the introduction of solar panels, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The description lacks sufficient detail and comparative depth to fully satisfy the requirements of an Academic Task 1. The overview is present but could be more comprehensive in highlighting the most significant trends. Because the response is under-length, it cannot be awarded a score higher than 5.0 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of information. Cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Furthermore', and 'Lastly' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the lack of word count makes the overall structure feel slightly underdeveloped. The information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, but the limited length prevents a more sophisticated use of cohesive devices or a more nuanced flow between the paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. Phrases like 'various things' and 'remained same' are quite basic and repetitive. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'compress changes' (likely meant 'comprise' or 'depict') and 'edition of Farm shop' (should be 'addition'). While the student successfully uses topic-specific vocabulary like 'solar panels', 'holiday cottages', and 'farmhouse', the overall lexical range is limited, preventing the response from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'Here the given maps compress changes that had been made' (tense usage) and 'beside of camping field' (preposition error). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but there are missing articles (e.g., 'replaced with road' instead of 'the road'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex grammatical forms.

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

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