Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-08

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 plans display the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site how it looks today.

Overall, the significant changes can be seen in Beechwood Farm. Camping field, parking, solar panels, holiday cottages, farm shop are added to the newly constructed farm meanwhile the fruit trees, soft fruits ang vegetables remained unchanged.

In 1950, the beechwood farm used to have huge area for sheep while it is divided into three parts now. This area is converted into camping field, solar panels and parking at corners side. The previous track is transformed into road. Barn is relocated below the triangle shaped road and holiday cottages are constructed between farmhouse and road where the barn used to be. Farmhouse, chickens, soft fruits vegetables and fruit trees remain unchanged. The area for fruit trees is decrease and farm shop is added to small part of it. The river flows through the same path.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the site changes, such as the conversion of the sheep area and the addition of new facilities like the farm shop and holiday cottages. You provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between 1950 and the present day. However, the response could be improved by being more precise with spatial descriptions; for instance, stating that the sheep area is 'divided into three parts' is a good observation, but the description of the barn's relocation and the road layout is slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure that all spatial relationships are clearly articulated to help the reader visualize the changes accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized logically, moving from a general overview to specific details. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'meanwhile' and 'in 1950', to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is quite limited; the body of the report would benefit from being split into two distinct paragraphs—perhaps one for the major structural changes and one for the areas that remained unchanged. Additionally, some transitions between sentences feel a bit mechanical. Improving the flow between sentences by using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'relocated', 'transformed', and 'constructed' appropriately. There are some minor errors, such as 'corners side' (which is redundant) and 'is decrease' (which should be 'has decreased'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. For example, instead of saying 'the same path', you could use 'remained in its original location'. Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points clearly, but it lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as missing articles ('Camping field', 'Barn', 'Farmhouse') and subject-verb agreement issues ('area for fruit trees is decrease'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on the correct use of articles and ensuring consistent verb tenses when describing past versus present states will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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