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)
Beechwood Farm progression has been shown from 1950 to today and as per the map of the farm we can understand that lot of development has taken place over the year. let us dive into this and discuss the developed area of the farm.
So, let us start with track covering the complete farm has been replaced with road. A farm shop has opened near fruit trees plantation. Then if we move further from fruit trees and towards chicken area, we could find a new barn connecting the road near vegetables area. The old barn has been upgraded to holiday cottages.
Now, if we check the opposite side of the road, it used to belong to sheep in 1950, but today, it has been restructured to number of new things like parking which is close to main road, then a new camping field has been prepared with couple of tents and trees. Furthermore, solar panels is installed to the opposite end of the sheep field and at last, a one more parking space has been created which is exactly opposite to holiday cottages. So, these are the main new features added to the 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, including the transition from a farm to a more commercialized site. 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 infrastructure. The description is somewhat repetitive and relies on a 'tour guide' style rather than an analytical summary. To improve, you should group information more logically (e.g., infrastructure vs. land use) and provide a more professional, objective overview of the transformation in the introduction or as a separate paragraph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is somewhat mechanical. The use of informal phrases like 'let us dive into this' and 'if we check' is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which requires a formal, objective tone. Cohesive devices are present but basic (e.g., 'then', 'furthermore', 'at last'). The progression of ideas is logical, but the transition between the 1950 state and the current state could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and removing conversational fillers would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision expected at higher bands. You use simple terms like 'new things' and 'chicken area', which are imprecise. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'solar panels is installed' (should be 'are') and 'track covering the complete farm'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more academic vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'converted', 'replaced by', 'extended', or 'demolished'. Avoid conversational language like 'dive into this' as it is not suitable for an academic report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('solar panels is installed'), missing articles ('to number of new things', 'to road'), and awkward phrasing ('track covering the complete farm has been replaced with road'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. You should focus on proofreading for basic errors like pluralization and article usage, and aim to vary your sentence structures with more accurate passive voice constructions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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