Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21
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 plans shows the information about the development of a farm site from 1950 to the recent times.
Overall, this farm has gone through the massive development as compared to past times.
In 1950 it had only fruit trees, vegetables, sheep farm, a farm house, a barn and chickens beside the river. But today it has more features.
The farm illustrates that it has gone through a massive transformation. In today`s farm solar panels are added for electricity and new camping field is made.
Two parking lots are present which were absent in the past.
Now this farm has a farm shop and holiday cottages which was not present in 1950.
The position of barn has been changed. There is also a tree near the camping field which was not there before.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some main features, such as the addition of solar panels, a camping field, and a farm shop, the description is quite superficial. You have not provided a detailed comparison of the layout changes, such as the removal of the vegetable garden or the expansion of the farm house. To improve, you must expand your analysis by describing the spatial changes more precisely and ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for a fully developed response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into short, somewhat disjointed paragraphs. While there is a basic attempt at an overview, the progression of ideas is limited. You rely on simple sentence structures and lack a variety of cohesive devices to link your points effectively. For example, the transition between the 1950s description and the modern-day features is abrupt. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to create a more fluid narrative and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is functional but repetitive and lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'massive development' and 'more features' are vague. You also struggle with accurate word choice, such as 'recent times' instead of 'the present day'. To improve, you should incorporate more specific vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'demolished', 'converted', 'extended', or 'relocated'. Expanding your range to include more academic collocations will help you convey information with greater clarity and sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors that hinder the flow of the text. There are subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'The plans shows' and 'holiday cottages which was not present'. Additionally, the use of articles is inconsistent, and there are punctuation errors, such as the backtick used in 'today`s'. The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with very few attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and incorporating a variety of complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, to describe the changes to the farm.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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