Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-15
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 plans illustrates the location of a Beechwood field in 1950 and the similar location now a days.
Overall,the similar things like Chickens,Barn,Soft fruits,fruits trees, Vegetables,Farmhouse are located in the same place but now a days there are addition of some extra things like roads,holiday cottage,parking,camping field,farm shop and solar panels are included in new era.
In the 1950, there are four tracks which connects the different things through it and in the initial stage it is straight track but in the center is makes a triangle.In the left side there are some fruit trees at the top and going forward there is place for the soft fruits and vegetables and moving forward barn, farmhouse and place fr keeping the chickens.
In today era location have added some other things like camping fields for the people who needs help and parking place for the people to place their vehicles and solar panels and roads for the traffic to pass through it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 two maps, such as the addition of new facilities like the camping field and solar panels. However, the description is somewhat superficial. The student lists items rather than providing a clear, analytical comparison of the spatial changes. For instance, the mention of 'four tracks' is vague, and the spatial relationship between the original farm elements and the new additions is not clearly articulated. To reach a higher band, the response needs to focus more on the transformation of the site, such as the conversion of agricultural land into a commercial/recreational space, rather than just listing features.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'moving forward', 'in the left side'). The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While the progression of ideas is generally logical, the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the flow feel disjointed. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter') is used more effectively would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'things' and 'places', which are imprecise. Phrases such as 'new era' and 'people who needs help' are slightly unnatural in this context. The student attempts to describe the features but lacks the specific terminology required for map analysis, such as 'layout', 'converted', 'replaced', or 'situated'. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more descriptive and academic terms would significantly improve the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The plans illustrates', 'people who needs help') and article usage (e.g., 'In the 1950', 'In today era'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader and indicate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.