Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-19

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 5.0)

The plans below show the old site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today.

Overall, Beechwood Farm in 1950 is shown with 7 objects or layouts in the plans. Which is fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, chickens, a farmhouse, a barn, and a sheep yard, but today's new site plans show a total update with new amenities like parking, a camping field, Solar panels, and holiday cottages.

In 1950, on the plans show not many more amenities; the plans are simple starting from bridge, after that fruit tree farm next to soft fruits and go ahead vegetable yard after round band at coner chickens farm within farmhouse and also barn for connectivity to all the yard track are contrcuted above side sheep that is all about old plans site.

Today's place on fruit trees; a new farm shop and opposite parking with camping field. After soft fruits and vegetables are the same, but changes have happened with the barn replaced by holiday cottages opposite the parking and solar panels.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarize the changes between 1950 and the present day. However, it fails to provide a clear overview or a logical selection of main features. The description of the 1950 layout is fragmented and difficult to follow, and the comparison between the two periods is hindered by unclear sentence structures. While the main additions (farm shop, camping field, solar panels) are mentioned, the overall report lacks the analytical depth required for an Academic Task 1 response. The information is presented in a list-like fashion rather than a cohesive summary, which limits the ability to effectively highlight the significant transformations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the internal flow is problematic. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'Which is fruit trees' or 'After soft fruits and vegetables are the same'. The progression of ideas is disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph, where the spatial description is confusing and lacks clear referencing. The transition between the 1950 layout and the current site is abrupt, and the lack of logical signposting makes it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes described in the plans.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choice and phrasing, such as 'round band at coner chickens farm' and 'connectivity to all the yard track are contrcuted above side sheep'. These errors occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the spatial relationships. While the student attempts to name the features shown on the map, the lack of precise terminology and the reliance on basic, often incorrectly used, descriptive language prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect clarity. There are issues with sentence fragments (e.g., 'Which is fruit trees...'), subject-verb agreement, and incorrect prepositional usage. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are often faulty, leading to confusion. For example, 'the plans are simple starting from bridge, after that fruit tree farm next to soft fruits' lacks a clear grammatical structure. Punctuation is also inconsistent, which further detracts from the overall accuracy of the writing.

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

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