Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-13
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 given maps illustrate the changes occur in the site of a farm between 1950 to present. Noticeably, there are too many transformation done till now.
To begin with, the river and the main road has been remained same as past. There is a large sheep area in northeast corner of the farm in 1950 which has been developed and make three part like parking, camping field and solar panel area and farm have a track to move around in farm which has been converted into a road.
Moreover, barn has been converted into holiday cottages and the new small barn is constructed at turning point of the farm road and the farmhouse and chickens area has been remained same as in 1950. There were three areas like fruit tree, soft fruits and vegetables which are one side is connected with road and other side is connected with river and one changes occur at fruit trees there has been one additional farm-shop is added.
Overall, there has been drastic changes occur and some new area is constructed in beechwood farm.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 barn and the development of the sheep area. However, the overview is weak and lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends. The description of the layout is sometimes confusing, particularly when describing the location of the fruit trees and the farm-shop. While the main features are reported, the comparison between 1950 and the present could be more precise. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most striking changes, such as the shift from agricultural use to more commercial/leisure-oriented facilities, rather than just listing individual changes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'one side is connected with road and other side is connected with river'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, making it difficult to visualize the site layout. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when referring to 'three part' or 'one changes occur'. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear transitions between the description of different areas would significantly enhance the flow and coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'changes occur in the site' instead of 'changes to the site', and 'make three part' instead of 'divided into three sections'. The student relies on basic descriptive language. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'redeveloped', 'replaced', or 'situated', and avoid repetitive structures like 'has been remained' or 'is constructed'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'the river and the main road has been remained' and 'there has been drastic changes occur'. Tense usage is also inconsistent, with confusion between present perfect and simple past forms. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing map changes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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