Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-14
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 maps compare the layout of beechwood farm in 1950 and the same site arrangement today .
Overall ,the Beechwood farm has been modernized
considerably. While the areas used for farmhouse, river, chickens fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables have remained unchanged. In 1950 the beechwood farm was quite simple with a sharply area for sheep .Fruit trees ,soft fruit and vegetables shops on the side of the river . A separate farmhouse where chickens are there and a barn and a connected track .Today, a lot of new things have been added . The extended area for sheep has been partitioned by the parking in both the sides and one side there is camping field and tress and on the other side solar panels are installed . The track has been replaced by the road connected to a barn . Farm shop has been added next to the fruit trees ,,soft fruits and vegetables . Holiday cottages are build .
Overall it is apparent that all the amendments are made to make this farm people friendly .
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 addition of the farm shop, holiday cottages, and solar panels. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear, analytical approach to comparing the two time periods. Some information is inaccurate, such as stating that the river and fruit trees remained unchanged, when the map shows the addition of a farm shop in that area. The overview is present but could be more detailed regarding the nature of the transformation. To improve, ensure all spatial relationships are described accurately and focus on grouping features logically rather than listing them.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'overall' and 'on the other side'. Paragraphing is present but the internal structure of the body paragraph is weak, making it difficult to follow the progression of changes. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of new additions. Improving the use of linking words (e.g., 'subsequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') would help create a more logical flow between the 1950 layout and the current site.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'sharply area for sheep' and 'same site arrangement'. The word choice is often basic, and there are some errors in collocation, such as 'Holiday cottages are build' (should be 'built'). While the student successfully uses some topic-specific vocabulary like 'solar panels' and 'partitioned', the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more varied and precise terminology to describe spatial changes and land use.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the areas used for farmhouse, river, chickens fruit trees... have remained unchanged' (missing articles and poor list structure) and 'Holiday cottages are build' (incorrect verb tense). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and spacing issues. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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