Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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 two plans illustrate the layout of a firm before its redesign and after its arrangement.
Overall, the farm has undergone significant changes with the introduction of infrastructure development and parking slots. The sheep area was removed and replaced by camping field and solar panels. Tracks were developed to sustainable roads which make this farm more easy going on transporting necessary things inside the farm.
Before its redesign, sheep area occupied a lot of land. There were fruit trees, soft trees and vegetables on the bank of the river and track as well. Barn was on the southeast side of the track, followed by farmhouse was some steps ahead of the barn. There was also a lot of space for chickens.
Today, numerous infrastructure models has been made. Tracks were modified to roads. Trees and vegetables area remain roughly in the same locations. Parking areas have been installed into two sides of the road. Camping field has been installed in previous sheep area which gives this farm a new identity and a better view. Barn has been moved to the junction of the road.
Most notable changes is to build a holiday cottage by replacing barn. Chickens remain in tha exact same location.
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 two plans, including the removal of the sheep area and the addition of infrastructure like the holiday cottage and solar panels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the trees and vegetables as remaining 'roughly in the same locations' is a bit vague, and the mention of 'infrastructure models' is imprecise. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the two time periods could be more analytical. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the most significant transformations, such as the shift from agricultural focus to tourism and energy production.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing the changes. The progression of ideas is generally clear. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Most notable changes is' and 'Before its redesign' are used, but the transition between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is occasionally slightly confusing, such as the mention of 'the bank of the river and track as well,' which lacks clarity regarding the spatial relationship. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow between ideas could be improved with more varied linking words.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. The student uses basic terms like 'soft trees' (which is unclear) and 'necessary things.' There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'infrastructure models' and 'easy going on transporting.' While the student attempts to describe the changes, the range of vocabulary is limited to common, everyday words. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more specific terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'converted,' 'repurposed,' 'situated,' or 'adjacent to,' rather than relying on repetitive verbs like 'made' or 'installed.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('numerous infrastructure models has been made', 'Most notable changes is'), incorrect article usage ('in previous sheep area'), and awkward phrasing ('make this farm more easy going'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. The student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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