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 diagrams illustrates how the beechwood farm being changed from 1950 to nowadays
Overall a farm has many innovations and development today as compared to the past. A large area for grazing for sheep is replaced by solar panels and a parking. While tracks are replaces with roads. The position of river remains the same.
In 1950 a large area for the grazing of sheep and tracks in the middle of farm. There were a lot of planation along the river side including fruit trees soft fruits and vegetables. Moreover on the left side of farm below the track area for barn additionally farm house and chickens there's and river flows below them.
Nowadays a huge transformation and developments occurs in Beachwood The place where sheep was grazing are placed with solar panels , two parking as well as camping field. A slight change occur at the area where plantation occurs of fruit soft fruits and vegetables and moreover farm on the left side of fruit in same region. Tracks are placed by roads and a Barn below them.
Holiday Cottage's at the place of barn additionally farm house and chickens remains the same. Furthermore river flows along both years
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the replacement of grazing land with solar panels and the change from tracks to roads. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, analytical summary of the most significant trends. While the key changes are identified, the description of the layout is occasionally confusing, particularly regarding the spatial relationships (e.g., 'below the track area'). To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview highlights the most striking transformations more clearly and provides a more precise description of the spatial changes between the two time periods.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from 1950 to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'moreover', 'furthermore'). Some sentences lack logical flow, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track the specific locations being described. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'planation' instead of 'plantation' and 'placed with' instead of 'replaced by'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic descriptors. To improve, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'converted into', 'transformed', or 'remained unchanged', and ensure accurate spelling of key terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The diagrams illustrates', 'developments occurs'), incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'sheep was grazing'), and missing articles. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing past and present states. Proofreading for minor errors like missing plurals or incorrect prepositions will also help raise your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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