Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-30

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 5.0)

The plans below shows the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today :

In 1950, in beechwood farm there are fruit trees, some soft fruits, some vegetables, four tracks, a barn, a farmhouse and some chickens. whereas in 2026, there is a road, some fruit trees, a parking , soft fruits , some farm shops, some vegetables , a barn connecting three roads to each other, some chickens , farmhouse, holiday cottages, a parking and some solar panels.

To conclude there is more development in 2026 than in 1950. for example camping fields are included there are also some holiday cottages and a farmhouse.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, significantly impacting the score. While the student identifies some features of the farm in 1950 and 2026, the description is superficial and lacks a clear overview or a meaningful comparison of the changes. The response reads more like a list of items rather than a summary of the main features. Key developments, such as the conversion of agricultural land into tourism-related facilities, are mentioned but not adequately described or contrasted. To improve, the student must provide a clear introduction, a distinct overview of the main trends, and detailed supporting paragraphs that meet the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response lacks logical paragraphing and structure. It consists of a brief introduction, a single body paragraph that lists items, and a very short conclusion. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas; the transition between the 1950 description and the 2026 description is abrupt. The use of 'whereas' is a positive attempt at comparison, but the overall flow is disjointed. To improve, the student should organize the information into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the most significant changes, and two body paragraphs detailing specific transformations, using a variety of linking words like 'in contrast', 'subsequently', or 'furthermore'.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive. The student relies heavily on simple nouns and lists, such as 'some fruit trees', 'some vegetables', and 'some chickens'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning or land-use changes (e.g., 'converted', 'replaced', 'expanded', 'infrastructure'). Additionally, there are errors in word choice, such as 'a parking', which should be 'a parking area' or 'a car park'. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to expand their range of vocabulary to describe the changes more precisely and avoid repeating the same structures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The grammatical range is extremely limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. There are frequent errors in punctuation, such as the space before the colon and the lack of capitalization at the start of sentences. Subject-verb agreement is also inconsistent, for example, 'The plans below shows' should be 'The plans below show'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for higher band scores. To improve, the student should focus on using a variety of sentence types, including complex sentences with relative clauses or passive voice, and ensure basic grammatical accuracy regarding plurals and verb forms.

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

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