Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The map shows the layout of a farm, including crop fields, animal areas, buildings and tracks in the calender year 1950.

Overall, fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables are located in the western part of the farm, while the barn, farmhouse and chicken area are in the east. A network of tracks connects these areas, and a river runs along the western and southern boundaries. There is also a road in the north-west of the farm.

The map shows the current layout of a farm, including agricultural areas, buildings, roads and recreational facilities.

Overall, the farm has been developed with a farm shop, parking areas, a camping field and solar panels. Fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables remain in the western part, while the farmhouse, barn, chickens and holiday cottages are located in the east. Several roads connect these areas, and the river continues to run along the southern and western boundaries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of both maps, but it fails to effectively compare the two time periods. Instead of integrating the changes into a cohesive analysis, the response presents two separate descriptions—one for 1950 and one for the present day. This approach misses the opportunity to highlight the transformation of the site, such as the conversion of agricultural land into recreational facilities. To achieve a higher band, you must synthesize the information by explicitly contrasting the 'before' and 'after' states rather than listing them in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into four short paragraphs, which creates a somewhat fragmented structure. While there is a logical progression within each paragraph, the lack of cohesive devices to link the two time periods makes the overall flow mechanical. The transition between the description of the 1950 farm and the current farm is abrupt. Using comparative linking words such as 'whereas,' 'in contrast,' or 'has been replaced by' would significantly improve the flow and demonstrate a better grasp of how to connect ideas across different sections of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and accurately describes the features of the farm, such as 'agricultural areas,' 'recreational facilities,' and 'solar panels.' However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. The same sentence structures and vocabulary are used to describe the layout in both paragraphs (e.g., 'located in the western part,' 'run along the southern and western boundaries'). To improve, you should incorporate more varied descriptive language and synonyms to avoid repeating the same phrases when discussing the two different time periods.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is generally accurate, and the sentences are easy to follow. You demonstrate a good grasp of simple and compound sentence structures. However, there is a lack of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice or relative clauses, which are essential for describing changes in a process or map task. For example, instead of saying 'the farm has been developed with a farm shop,' you could use more sophisticated structures like 'the area, which was previously used for crops, has been converted into a camping field.'

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

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