Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26

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 6.0)

The plans illustrate the site of a firm in 1950 and the same site in the present day.

Overall, the site went through a dramatic change over the years, with some of the establishments being completely replaced and some being as it is.

In 1950, the fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse, and chickens were where they are today. However, the place where the farm kept sheep has been converted into a camping field. The field has also been divided to create space for solar panels. Holiday cottages have been built where there was a barn in 1950, and a parking space was made right in front of that. The barn was moved to the corner of the road, where it is closer to the river. A farm shop was opened right beside the fruit trees, and another parking space was made in front of the farm shop. The tracks were replaced with roads.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the two plans, identifying key changes such as the conversion of the sheep field into a camping area and the addition of solar panels. However, the report lacks a clear overview of the most significant trends, such as the shift from agricultural focus to tourism and renewable energy. While the main features are mentioned, the description of the layout is somewhat list-like. To reach a higher band, you should group information more logically—for example, by contrasting areas that remained unchanged with those that were repurposed—and provide a more analytical summary of the overall transformation of the site.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is coherent and follows a logical progression from the general overview to specific details. Paragraphing is present, though the body paragraph is quite dense and could benefit from being split to separate different types of changes (e.g., new buildings vs. land use changes). Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'In 1950', but the flow is occasionally mechanical. The transition between the description of the original state and the current state could be smoother to better guide the reader through the comparison.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'converted', 'establishments', and 'repurposed' (implied). There is a minor error in the first sentence where 'firm' is used instead of 'farm', which is a spelling/word-choice slip. The vocabulary is generally functional and allows for clear communication of the changes shown in the diagrams. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations related to map descriptions, such as 'situated in the northern part' or 'underwent significant redevelopment'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'some being as it is', which should be 'some remaining as they were'. Additionally, the tense usage is generally consistent when describing the past and present states. While the sentence structures are functional, there is a lack of more sophisticated complex structures that would demonstrate a wider grammatical range. Punctuation is generally accurate, and errors do not impede the reader's understanding of the information presented.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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