Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
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 maps illustrate changes in Beechwood farm since 1950 to the present day.
Overall, the agricultural farm have been converted into mixed use of commercial and recreational site. The southern part of farm is preserved as same ,whereas , in the northern part of farm land is converted into commercial space such as for renewable soureses, camping field and parking.
In southern half of the farm almost remained same but it undergone into minor changes. Such as Farmshop is added into the area of fruit trees, the track that is replaced by road, the position of Barn changed to left of the chickens and lastly the holiday cottages were replaced in the place of Barn.
Major changes occured in northern part of farm land. sheep area is totally converted into commercial space with area for renewable resources ( solar panels), 2 parking spaces are added at the starting and ending of the road ,furthermore , large area of sheep
is occupied by camping field.
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 the shift from agricultural to mixed-use land. However, the description is somewhat inaccurate regarding the spatial layout. For instance, you mention the barn moved to the 'left of the chickens,' but the map shows the barn was replaced by holiday cottages. Additionally, the description of the southern part as 'almost remained same' overlooks significant changes like the removal of the original barn and the addition of a farm shop. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the specific changes limits the score. To improve, ensure that every detail mentioned is accurately reflected in the visual data provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'in the northern part of farm land' and 'in southern half of the farm.' Punctuation is also problematic, particularly the inconsistent spacing around commas (e.g., 'same ,whereas , in'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track the specific locations being discussed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring correct punctuation would significantly enhance the flow of the writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several spelling errors, such as 'soureses' instead of 'sources' and 'occured' instead of 'occurred.' Some word choices are also unnatural, such as 'agricultural farm' (which is redundant) and 'at the starting and ending of the road.' To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology for map descriptions, such as 'situated,' 'adjacent to,' or 'transformed into,' and ensure that your spelling is accurate throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the agricultural farm have been converted' (subject-verb agreement error), 'it undergone into minor changes' (incorrect verb usage), and 'the holiday cottages were replaced in the place of Barn' (awkward phrasing). There are also issues with article usage, such as missing 'the' before 'farm' or 'northern part.' While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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