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)
In 1950 the farm was simple it included Fruit trees, Soft Fruits, vegetables , Farm house, Barn and Chickens and an area designated for sheep whereas today the farm is developed and contains various new additions like Farm shop for selling stuff that's being cultivated in farm moreover it includes Camping Fields for visitors and tourists to enjoy the nature and take a break from busy life of city it also includes holiday cottages and parking for tourists that are visiting the farm house however the sheep are excluded and the space is used to build camping field and parking area for tourists and staff that is present in farmhouse for electricity solar panels are installed for sustainable energy.
The Major Difference Between 1950 & 2026 Farmhouse was this that back then they were just cultivating and selling fruits and vegetables and now they changed it into a tourist attraction.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response identifies the main features of the farm in 1950 and today, such as the shift from agricultural production to tourism. However, the report lacks a clear overview and is presented as a single, dense block of text rather than a structured report. While the key changes are mentioned, the comparison is somewhat superficial. The response would benefit from a more formal structure, including an introduction, a clear overview of the major trends, and distinct paragraphs for the two time periods to better highlight the contrasts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response suffers from a lack of paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. There is an over-reliance on run-on sentences, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and often mechanical. For example, the text uses 'moreover' and 'however' to connect long strings of clauses, but the lack of punctuation (full stops and commas) makes the logical flow disjointed. To improve, you should use clear paragraph breaks and a wider variety of linking words to separate distinct points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'selling stuff' are too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. While you successfully use terms like 'sustainable energy' and 'cultivating', the range is limited. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise, academic vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'converted', 'replaced', 'expanded', or 'diversified', rather than relying on basic verbs and repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response consists almost entirely of run-on sentences, lacking necessary punctuation such as periods to separate independent clauses. This significantly impacts readability. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in farm', 'in farmhouse') and issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency. While you attempt some complex structures, the lack of control over basic sentence boundaries prevents the use of a wide range of error-free structures. Focusing on sentence structure and punctuation is essential for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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