Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-23
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 maps illustrate the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site now. Overall, they compare the previous Beechwood farm with the proposed tourist farm.
Overall, the farm has been transformed into well-equipped tourist farm. Previous sheep area has been replaced with different new development. Numerous facilities has been added such as comping field, parking, holiday cottages and farm shop. Network of track has been removed and built road in the same place.
In 1950, the site of a farm was not well structure. There was also a track for people through this network people easily move around. There was a large area located in the north side of the farm occupied for sheep. Farmhouse was situated in the eastern and western side of the farm. Fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, chickens and barn all those was near the river.
According to the redevelopment, the farm has been made much better. There are also comping field, solar panels and parking areas construct on the north side of the farm. Holiday cottages are built near farmhouse for tourists.
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 maps, identifying the key changes such as the replacement of the sheep area with tourist facilities and the development of the road network. However, the overview is somewhat repetitive, and the description of the 1950s layout lacks precision in terms of spatial relationships. While the main features are reported, the comparison between the two time periods could be more analytical. For instance, the mention of 'comping field' (camping) and solar panels is accurate, but the overall summary could be more cohesive to better highlight the transition from a working farm to a tourist destination.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the two time periods. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'According to the redevelopment' is not a standard way to introduce a description of changes. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'all those was near the river', which lacks a clear antecedent. While the progression of ideas is generally logical, the flow between sentences could be improved with more varied and precise linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are several instances of word-choice errors and spelling mistakes that hinder precision. Examples include 'comping field' instead of 'camping field', 'well structure' instead of 'well-structured', and 'occupied for sheep' instead of 'used for sheep'. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'redevelopment' and 'tourist farm', the range is limited. To achieve a higher band, the student should focus on more accurate collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing, such as using 'farm' multiple times in close proximity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('Numerous facilities has been added', 'all those was near'), missing articles ('built road in the same place'), and incorrect verb forms ('parking areas construct'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on proofreading for basic agreement and ensuring that passive voice constructions are formed correctly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.