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 the two maps of Beechwood farm in 1950 and the today site. The fruit tress, farmhouse, chicken, and river were remain the same but some amenities such as parking, farm shop camping field, solar panels barn, holiday cottages and road are built now.
In the past, there was a bridge in the Northern side and it was also link with the track. A large field was given to the sheep. Along river there were different types of fruit trees an d vegetables. On the eastern side there were barn, farmhouse and chickens.
At present, sheep place is replaced with two parking slots, camping field and solar panels that generate electricity for the farm. Now they built smooth road instead of track. there are many changes on the eastern side they changed the place of barn and make holiday cottages near the road. They also built a small farm shop near the bridge.
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, holiday cottages, and solar panels. However, the overview is weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends, such as the shift from agricultural production to tourism and renewable energy. While the response addresses the task, the description of the changes is somewhat mechanical and lacks a cohesive synthesis of the information. Some details, such as the specific location of the barn, are slightly inaccurate compared to the provided visuals. To improve, ensure the overview highlights the most striking transformations rather than just listing features.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into three paragraphs, which is appropriate for this task. There is a logical progression from the past to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive. For instance, the transition between sentences often relies on simple connectors like 'now' or 'in the past'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'sheep place is replaced', which lacks a definite article. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between the description of the past and the present is more fluid.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You use basic terms like 'place', 'built', and 'changed' repeatedly. While you successfully use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'solar panels', 'holiday cottages', and 'amenities', the overall range is limited. There are also minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'today site' instead of 'current site' or 'the today site'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and ensure that your word choices are contextually accurate to describe geographical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'The diagrams illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'were remain' (incorrect verb form), and 'it was also link' (passive voice error). Additionally, there are missing articles throughout the text, such as 'on eastern side' instead of 'on the eastern side'. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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