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 map illustrates the changes that took place in a Beachwood farm between 1950 and today.

Overall, it is clear that the area became more development and modernize. In addition, a campaign field was introduced in northern side and solar panels also introduced in Eastern side and also built two side parking while the sheep was removed.

Looking at the details, in 1950 there was a sheep in the northern part of the Beachwood. It was later replaced by the camping field and solar panels. Similarly, the barn in the southern place were replaced by a holiday cottages.

In comparison, fruit trees the also built in the one side of farm shop while soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse and chickens remained in change while the northern and eastern are are more development and look at modern Beachwood. By today, the sheep had been replaced by the camping field and solar panels and the barn had been replaced by the holidays cottage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the introduction of the camping field, solar panels, and holiday cottages. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in reporting the spatial changes. For instance, the mention of 'fruit trees' and 'farm shop' is vague, and the claim that 'soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse and chickens remained in change' is confusing and inaccurate based on the visual data. While the main trends are identified, the lack of clear, accurate reporting on all features prevents a higher score. The overview is present but could be more effectively synthesised.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes misused, such as the phrase 'remained in change' or the repetitive use of 'and also'. The progression of information is not always logical; for example, the final paragraph repeats information already stated in the second paragraph, which hinders the overall coherence of the response. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two time periods.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The range of vocabulary is limited and often inaccurate. There are several instances of incorrect word forms, such as 'more development and modernize' instead of 'more developed and modernised'. The student struggles with appropriate collocations, using phrases like 'in the northern side' or 'in the southern place' rather than more natural alternatives. Some vocabulary is repetitive, and the misuse of terms like 'remained in change' indicates a lack of control over precise descriptive language. To improve, the student should focus on using accurate adjectives and nouns to describe geographical changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('there was a sheep', 'barn... were replaced'), incorrect tense usage, and awkward sentence structures. The student relies heavily on simple sentence patterns, and attempts at more complex structures often result in errors, such as 'fruit trees the also built'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the overall control of grammar is weak, with errors occurring in almost every sentence. A focus on basic sentence construction and verb tense consistency is essential.

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