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)
Maps delineate the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today. Maps compare the changing in the farm in between both era.
Overall, In present the farm is more developed and more modren because it shows a dominating change in it. But farm in 1950 has low resources and limited boundries and no one living in this farm.
In 1950, the farm is conguested because there were few trees, vegetable and soft fruits going with a view of river.However there is track in the farm which build to walk around and it has a sheep area beside the track and there was farmhouse and chicken area which were looking beautiful.
In present age, the farm become more modern and civilized due use of modren technology and equipments. In present solar pannel, parking and camping field replaced with sheep field that is prety good and road of farm is well drained and paved now.However, a new section build in the farm it is called as holiday cottages and the road of farm now linked with barn and river flow beside the farm like in past.
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 identifies the main features of the maps, such as the transition from agricultural land to a more modern, commercialized site. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks precise detail. For instance, the student mentions 'modern technology' and 'equipment' without specifically referencing the visual evidence provided in the maps (e.g., the specific location of the holiday cottages or the expansion of the road). The overview is present but lacks clarity, and some descriptions are inaccurate, such as claiming the farm was 'congested' in 1950, which is not supported by the visual data. To improve, focus on accurately describing the spatial changes and providing specific comparisons between the two time periods.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression from 1950 to the present. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'However' is used incorrectly in several places where it does not signal a contrast. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'it is called as holiday cottages'. The flow between ideas is somewhat repetitive, and the logical progression could be strengthened by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the changes more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are several spelling errors, such as 'modren' (modern), 'pannel' (panel), 'prety' (pretty), and 'conguested' (congested). The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with appropriate collocations, such as 'going with a view of river' or 'civilized due use of'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the frequent spelling mistakes prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Incorporating more specific terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'situated', 'converted', or 'extended', would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('farm become', 'road... build'), missing articles ('in present', 'in 1950'), and awkward phrasing ('the farm is conguested because there were few trees'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be distracting. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, consistent tense usage when describing past versus present states, and the correct application of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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