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 charts show the different between Beechwood Farm in year 1950 and nowadays.

In the chart so many things are similar as 1950 and nowadays like road, river, soft fruits, vegetables, chickens, farmhouse.

In the year 1950, Beechwood Farm have a river are started from north-west to south-east and road across river from west to north. also have grounds for fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, barn, farmhouse, chickens, sheep, and also have track.

nowadays river, soft fruits, vegetables, chickens and farmhouse area are similar as 1950. sheep area is dividing into two parts one is made for camping field & another as solar panels area both areas providing parking facilities. track converted as road and at the south end of road is connected to new barn area. according to 1950 chart barn area converted as holiday cottages nowadays, in the fruit trees area small new farm shop is built at roadside corner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the conversion of the barn and the addition of camping and solar facilities. However, the overview is weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes, such as the shift from agricultural focus to tourism and renewable energy. The description of the 1950 layout is somewhat repetitive, and the comparison between the two periods could be more analytical. While the key features are identified, the lack of a cohesive overview and the reliance on listing items rather than synthesizing information limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'and' to connect ideas. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial progression of the farm. While there is an overall arrangement, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the somewhat disjointed sentence structure prevent a higher score. Paragraphing is present but could be used more effectively to separate the overview from the detailed analysis.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is frequent repetition of basic terms like 'area', 'chart', and 'similar'. The student struggles with accurate collocations, such as 'road across river' instead of 'a road crossing the river' or 'sheep area is dividing' instead of 'the sheep area was divided'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'different' instead of 'difference'. To improve, the student should focus on using more descriptive verbs and nouns related to map changes, such as 'transformed', 'replaced', or 'extended'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and articles (e.g., 'Beechwood Farm have a river', 'track converted as road'). The misuse of prepositions and the omission of necessary articles (e.g., 'at the south end of road') are common. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of complex sentence structures and the persistent grammatical inaccuracies significantly impact the quality of the writing. The student needs to work on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is essential for describing map changes.

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