Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25
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 blueprint illustrates the information about the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site in present time.
Firstly, in past, there had an area for feeding sheeps, but nowadays, it divide into two parts, one consists of parking area and camping field, and other consists of solar panels and parking. Secondly, in 1950, there had a barn, now which has been replaced with holiday cottages. Moreover, farmhouse, vegetables, soft fruits, fruit trees and chicken have same place in past and present both, however, today there has a farm shop on the corner of fruits trees.
Furthermore, in 1950, there had a track, which come from road and go from barn, but today, it has been replaced with road, which also go to barn that has been constructed in present time. However, the river is as same as in past and there was also a road passes from river has not been changed.
Overall, beechwood farm has been dramitically changed since past.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the two maps, identifying key changes such as the conversion of the sheep area and the addition of holiday cottages. However, the report lacks a clear overview, which is essential for a Band 6 or higher. The summary provided at the end is very brief and does not effectively synthesize the main trends. Additionally, some descriptions are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the mention of a 'farm shop on the corner of fruits trees' which is not clearly supported by the visual evidence. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most significant transformations, such as the shift from agricultural to tourism-focused land use.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response uses basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Furthermore' to organize the information. While this creates a logical flow, the paragraphing is somewhat disjointed, and the transition between ideas can feel mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'other consists of solar panels', which lacks a clear antecedent. The overall structure is functional, but the progression of ideas could be more sophisticated. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would help elevate the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is significant repetition of basic verbs like 'had', 'go', and 'changed'. Some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'in present time' (should be 'at present' or 'currently') and 'dramitically' (spelling error). The use of 'sheeps' is a grammatical error, as the plural of sheep is 'sheep'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'converted into', 'replaced by', 'extended', or 'remained unchanged', and ensure accurate spelling throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'there had an area' instead of 'there was an area', and 'road passes from river' instead of 'a road passing over the river'. The misuse of tenses is also apparent, as the response struggles to consistently distinguish between the past state and the present state. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction limits the score. Focusing on correct verb forms and prepositions will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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