Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03

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 describe the site of Beechwood farm in 1950 and the same plan today's Beechwood farm

Overall, it can be seen that there have major changes seen in the today's Beechwood map. Many facilities have been added north to northeast and southeast part of the area.

In detail, sheep area was demolished and replaced by the solar panels, campaign field and two parking one in east and other northwest side. However, track rout completely transformed into road and small barn added to the south corner. In addition, small holiday cottages were established at east side near road.

Furthermore, in today's Beechwood farm new shop opened in the area of fruit trees with on side attached with a road. One tree was planted north side between solar panels and parking attached with camping field. On the other hand, farmhouse, chickens, soft fruits, vegetables remain unchanged.

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 overview is somewhat simplistic. You have successfully highlighted the key changes, such as the addition of solar panels and the transformation of the track into a road. However, the description of the layout is occasionally unclear, and the failure to reach the word count means the information is not fully developed. To improve, ensure you provide a more detailed summary of the spatial changes and ensure your response meets the minimum length requirement to allow for a full exploration of the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'In detail' and 'On the other hand'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when describing the location of new facilities. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help create a more natural flow and improve the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You use basic terms like 'added', 'changed', and 'opened' repeatedly. There are also some awkward collocations and phrasing issues, such as 'track rout completely transformed' and 'with on side attached with a road'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to map descriptions, such as 'converted', 'demolished', 'expanded', or 'redeveloped', and focus on using more precise prepositions to describe locations.

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 clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in east and other northwest side'), incorrect word order, and tense inconsistencies. For example, 'there have major changes seen' is grammatically incorrect. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and sentence construction will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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