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 outlays compare the site of farm in 1950 with today.
Overall, it clearly seems that, currently the beechwood farm is more developed than 1950. Farm shop, parking, camping field and solar panels are added. The barn on the middle of right hand side is converted to holiday cottages, and it is built at the bottom of the triangular road.
According to the 1950, on the right hand side there is sheep which is covered with L shaped track. After that, there were barn, farmhouse and chickens. On the left hand side, there were compartments of fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables. All of which is connected to the track. There is also a triangular shaped track on the middle of the beechwood farm, also river is flowing from it.
Analyzing today's map, on the right hand side, parkings and camping field is constructed, along side, solar panels are also added. The barn is converted to the holiday cottages and farmhouse and chickens remained unchanged. The overall track is transformed into road and small size barn is built at the bottom of the triangular road. On the left hand side, farm shop is also constructed in the compartment of fruit trees, as soft fruits and vegetables is unchanged.
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 addition of the farm shop, camping field, and solar panels. The overview is clear and highlights the general trend of development. However, the report lacks precision in spatial description; for instance, describing the barn as being 'on the middle of right hand side' is vague. Furthermore, some details are slightly inaccurate, such as the claim that the farmhouse and chickens 'remained unchanged' when the map shows the chicken area was replaced by the camping field. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more precise and that all visual data is interpreted accurately.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the 1950 and current layouts. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'According to the 1950' and 'Analyzing today's map', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'All of which is connected to the track'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the location of features. While the progression of ideas is generally logical, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and more precise spatial markers.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the changes effectively. Words like 'converted', 'constructed', and 'transformed' are used appropriately. However, there are some inaccuracies and unnatural collocations, such as 'The outlays compare' (instead of 'The maps compare') and 'compartments of fruit trees'. The phrasing 'on the middle of' is also repetitive and imprecise. To improve, the student should focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'situated in the north-east corner' or 'replaced by', and ensure that word choices are consistently natural and precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'there is sheep', 'soft fruits and vegetables is unchanged') and article usage (e.g., 'on the middle of right hand side'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency. To achieve a higher score, the student should focus on mastering basic agreement rules and improving the accuracy of prepositions when describing locations on a map.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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