Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-16

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 diagram illustrates the plans of the Beechwood Farm between 1950 and the present day. The map depicts overall changes made of over specified years.

Overall, the major alterations have been done in the area of sheep and track was renamed as road, while few additions were made at downward side of the track.

The major changes includes; the space of sheep has been utilize for parkings, solar panels, and camping field. Along with that, the track which was connected with whole map, that has been renamed as road, now it will be use as a road.

On the other hand, the minimum changes are in order. Firstly, the space of fruit trees will share its area with farm shop. Secondly, the addition is barn, specifically it is located near the triangle of the road. While, the barn was previously situated at the location where holiday cottages are now replaced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the conversion of the sheep area and the renaming of the track. However, the description is somewhat inaccurate and confusing. For instance, the claim that the barn was 'previously situated at the location where holiday cottages are now replaced' is unclear and contradicts the visual evidence. Furthermore, the overview is quite brief and lacks a clear, cohesive summary of the most significant trends. While the task is addressed, the lack of precision in reporting the spatial changes limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'On the other hand, the minimum changes are in order,' which does not logically introduce the subsequent information. The referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track which specific areas of the farm are being discussed. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs lacks fluidity.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'space of sheep,' 'downward side of the track,' and 'major changes includes.' The student relies on basic terminology and struggles to describe the changes with the precision required for a map task. To improve, the student should focus on using more specific geographical and descriptive vocabulary, such as 'converted into,' 'replaced by,' or 'situated in the southern section.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('major changes includes'), incorrect verb forms ('has been utilize'), and awkward phrasing ('now it will be use as a road'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the misuse of semicolons. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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