Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
THE IMAGE ILLUSTRATES CHANGES OF 1950 AND CURRENT STATE OF BEACHWOOD FARM. THE NEW CHANGES OF BEACHWOOD FARM ARE QUIET EXTENSIVE BECAUSE IT INCLUDES A LOT OF FEATURES AND FACILITIES FOR TOURISM AND GREEN ENERGY, WHILE RETAINING IT'S ORIGINAL FRUIT PRODUCTION.
BEFORE THE REDESIGN, THE BEACHWOOD FARM HAD A SHEEP LOCATION ONLY ON THE NORTH SIDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, FRUIT TREES, SOFT FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES WERE SITUATED ALONG THE TRACK AND RIVER IS RUNNING AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE. ADDITIONALLY, AT THE CORNER OF THE RIVER THERE WERE CHICKENS, FARM HOUSE AND THE BARN ARE IN THE EAST SIDE OF BEACHWOOD FARM.
THE PRESENT LAYOUT SETTING OF THE BEACHWOOD FARM INCLUDES A LOT OF RESOURCES AND FACILITIES, SUCH AS CAMPING FIELD, AND THERE IS A TREE, PARKING PLACE AS WELL. AND SOLAR PANELS INSTALLATION WITH PARKING THAT NEWLY ADDED WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OF A CAMPING FIELD. FURTHER MORE, THE NEW ROAD WITH BARN REPLACING THE TRACK THAT ACROSSES THE CENTER OF BEACHWOOD FARM. AND THE OLD BARN WAS CONVERTED INTO HOLIDAY COTTAGES. INADDITION THE FRUIT TREES AREA THAT HAVE NEW FARM SHOP AS WELL.
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 farm in 1950 and today, identifying key changes such as the addition of tourism facilities and solar panels. However, the overview is somewhat limited, and the description of the 1950 layout is slightly confusing, particularly regarding the location of the farmhouse and barn. While the main trends are identified, the comparison between the two periods could be more analytical. The student successfully highlights the transition from purely agricultural use to a mixed-use site, but some details are under-developed, such as the specific spatial relationships of the new facilities.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction followed by descriptions of the past and present. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and' to start sentences or link clauses. Referencing is occasionally unclear, for example, 'the new road with barn replacing the track that acrosses the center'. The flow between sentences is functional but lacks the sophisticated transitions expected at higher bands. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be more cohesive to better guide the reader through the spatial changes.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for the description of farm features and changes. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'new changes... are quiet extensive' (should be 'quite') and 'layout setting'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. While the student attempts to use specific terms like 'solar panels' and 'holiday cottages', the overall lexical control is inconsistent, and there are minor spelling errors that slightly detract from the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('river is running'), incorrect verb tenses ('the barn are in the east side'), and prepositional errors ('with the right side'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentence fragments and run-on sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. The student needs to focus on basic sentence construction and ensuring that verbs and subjects agree consistently throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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