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 rendered map chart illustrates the information about changes witnessed in site Beechwood of farm in the year 1950 and in present .
overall it is noticeable that Beechwood farm has witnessed several changes but chickens and river are at same place .
Turning to the details parking is made adjacent to road in north west direction . At the place of sheep camping field is made . Moreover solar panel is provided in north east direction . Parking facilities are provided next to road in east direction .Track is converted into road .
Moving further barn is changed into holiday cottages .Farmhouse and chickens are at same place . Barn is made and attached with the road in southern direction . However vegetables, soft fruits and fruit trees are at same place . Farm shop is built near the fruit trees. River around the farm is situated at same place .
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 identifies the main features of the maps, such as the conversion of the track to a road and the addition of new facilities like solar panels and holiday cottages. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. The description is somewhat list-like, focusing on individual items rather than synthesizing the information into a coherent comparison of the site's transformation. While all parts of the task are addressed, the lack of a strong summary and the somewhat fragmented presentation of data prevent it from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking trends, such as the shift from a purely agricultural site to one incorporating tourism and renewable energy.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Moving further', 'Turning to the details'). The logical progression between sentences is occasionally disjointed, making the text feel like a series of isolated observations rather than a fluid report. Referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, the mention of 'barn' being changed into cottages while also stating 'Barn is made' in the next paragraph creates confusion. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that the sequence of information flows logically would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a heavy reliance on basic verbs like 'made', 'changed', and 'built'. Some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'rendered map chart' and 'at same place'. While the student successfully uses topic-specific vocabulary like 'solar panel', 'holiday cottages', and 'sheep camping field', the range is limited. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more sophisticated collocations and descriptive verbs to characterize the changes, such as 'transformed', 'replaced', 'expanded', or 'repurposed', rather than repeating simple structures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'at same place' instead of 'at the same place'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing. For example, 'Track is converted into road' lacks necessary articles. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, the student should focus on the correct use of articles, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions, and attempt to vary sentence structures by using more complex clauses to describe the spatial relationships between the features on the map.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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