Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The plan illustrates the changes that took place at Beechwood Farm between 1950 and the present day.

Overall, the farm has been transformed from an agricultural area into a modern tourist destination. While the fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse and chicken coop remain at the same location, several new facilities have been introduced including , camping field , holiday cottages, farm shop and two parking spaces for visitors.

In 1950, a track ran from the north to the east of the farm. The northern part was largely used for sheep grazing, on the western side fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables were situated, the southern area consisted of a barn, farmhouse and a chicken coop.

Today, the track has been converted into road, sheep grazing area has been converted into camping field, solar panels and two parking spaces for visitors, a new farm shop has been established between the road and fruit trees, the old barn was replaced by holiday cottages, and a new small barn has been placed at the southern side of the road, despite all these developments the farmhouse, chicken coop , fruit trees , soft fruits and vegetables are at their original locations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively summarizes the main features of the farm's transformation. You successfully identified the key changes, such as the conversion of the sheep grazing area into a camping field and the replacement of the barn with holiday cottages. The overview is clear and highlights the shift from agriculture to tourism. To reach a higher band, ensure that all features are described with precise spatial references; for example, you mention a 'new small barn' at the southern side of the road, but the map shows this is actually a new barn replacing the old one, and the cottages are in the former barn's location. Overall, the main trends are well-captured.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the 1950 layout and the current layout. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'While', 'In 1950', and 'Today', which help guide the reader through the chronological changes. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the list-like structure in the final paragraph could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the developments rather than just commas and 'and'.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'transformed', 'converted', 'facilities', and 'established'. The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for a report on map changes. There are minor issues with article usage, such as 'converted into road' (should be 'a road') and 'into camping field' (should be 'a camping field'). While the range is adequate, incorporating more sophisticated collocations or synonyms for 'changed' or 'replaced' would elevate the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over passive voice, which is essential for describing map changes (e.g., 'the old barn was replaced by holiday cottages'). However, there are recurring grammatical errors, particularly with missing articles (e.g., 'into road', 'into camping field', 'at the southern side'). Additionally, there are some punctuation inconsistencies, such as the unnecessary space before commas in the second paragraph. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the text.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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