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 two maps illustrate the changes in farm site between 1950 with the site of today.

Overall, A massive change in the comparision between the current one is that sheep area now replaced with the Solar Panels and Camping Field with parking slots for the public. However, Barn area will be completely replaced with the Holiday Cottages and Barn area itself shifted besides the chickens area. However, Tracks now turn into a roads. Additionally Farm Shop added at Fruit trees area. Whereas Vegetable and Soft Fruits sites remain same.

In the summary, Beechwood Farm has undergone with significant changes with serveral new facilities like solar panels and camping field, Additionally parking slots were added in both fields and big upgrades were seen in the form of Holiday Cottages that was newly build in today's site and at the end Farm shop, Additionally Farm shop added in the current site.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the maps, the analysis is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, professional structure. You have successfully highlighted key changes, such as the conversion of tracks to roads and the addition of the farm shop, but the description of the barn area is slightly confusing. To improve, ensure you provide a more cohesive overview that synthesizes the changes rather than listing them in a fragmented way. The under-length penalty is applied here as the response is 149 words.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical approach. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'Additionally' and 'However' to start sentences. The flow between ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition between the barn area and the tracks feels abrupt. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show relationships between the changes more clearly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on basic descriptors like 'massive change' and 'big upgrades'. There are also some awkward collocations and phrasing, such as 'undergone with significant changes' and 'newly build'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'converted', 'relocated', or 'remained unchanged', and ensure that your word choices are grammatically accurate in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede the flow of information. Examples include 'in 1950 with the site of today', 'sheep area now replaced with', and 'Barn area itself shifted besides the chickens area'. The use of articles is inconsistent, and there are issues with verb tense and passive voice construction. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often marred by errors. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions would significantly improve the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

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

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