Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-29
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 diagram shows the plan of a Beechwood farm in 1950 and the similar site of the farm today.
Overall, it is evident that a lot of changes take place in the northern part of the farm such as solar panels are installed and a camping field along with the parking area in the corners. Moreover, track has been constructed as a road. Meanwhile southern part remain same till today a slightly change can be evident such as barn replaced as a holiday cottages and barn build at a new place.
Looking in the details, The northern part of beechwood farm has a lot of changes today as compare to 1950 such as in place of sheep in 1950 today solar panels has been installed along with camping field are two parking in opposite corners. Whereas in southern part near fruit shop a farm shop is introduced along with this the place of barn in 1950 switched with holiday cottages in today and barn replaced to other place. Meanwhile track has been change as a road in the modern era.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, identifying key changes such as the installation of solar panels, the conversion of the barn into holiday cottages, and the development of the road. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in spatial referencing. While the main features are highlighted, the comparison between 1950 and the present could be more analytical. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant transformations, such as the shift from agricultural use to a mix of tourism and energy production. The response addresses the task requirements adequately but lacks the depth of detail required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. While there is a logical progression, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'Meanwhile', 'Whereas'). The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'barn replaced as a holiday cottages and barn build at a new place', which makes the spatial relationship difficult to follow. Paragraphing is used, but the transition between the overview and the detailed description could be smoother. The overall structure is coherent, but the flow of information is hindered by awkward phrasing and limited variety in linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. There are several instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'track has been change as a road' and 'barn build at a new place'. The student relies on basic descriptive language, which limits the ability to convey the changes with precision. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or a flexible use of language to describe the transformations effectively. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical control is limited.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('a lot of changes take place', 'southern part remain same'), incorrect tense usage ('solar panels has been installed'), and awkward sentence construction ('today solar panels has been installed along with camping field are two parking'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to verb forms and sentence structure is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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