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 below illustrate the changes the site of farm in 1950 and the same site today.
Overall, it is evident that the Beechwood farm changed noticeably during the periods. The most significant changes were road that's replaced by track and also camping field, solar panels and the holiday cottages. In addition, the area became more developed.
Looking first at the right side of the area, sheep was located into right position in 1950. However, it had been replaced by camping field and the solar panels and the parking area located on the left corner. Meanwhile, the fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetables remained unchanged. In addition, one of the major change was road replaced by the track.
Turning to opposite part of the area, Barn was converted into Holiday cottages and Farmhouse remained unchanged and the Barn move into the edge of the road. Furthermore, Farm shop was added into the opposite of fruit trees.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the site changes, such as the conversion of the barn and the addition of leisure facilities. However, the response lacks precision in describing the spatial layout. For example, you mention 'right position' and 'opposite part', which are vague and do not accurately reflect the map's orientation. Furthermore, some information is inaccurate, such as stating the barn moved to the edge of the road when the map shows a new barn structure. To improve, ensure you use precise directional language (e.g., 'in the north-east corner') and verify the details against the visual data to avoid factual errors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Looking first at', and 'Turning to', which provide a basic framework. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'the Barn move into the edge of the road'. The logical progression is hindered by the lack of clear spatial markers, making it difficult to visualize the changes. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'converted', 'remained unchanged', and 'developed'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'right position' instead of 'on the right side' and 'the periods' instead of 'the period'. Additionally, there is a lack of variety in your descriptive language, with repetitive use of 'the' and basic sentence structures. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for map descriptions, such as 'situated', 'replaced by', or 'transformed into', and work on using articles more accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
Your writing uses a mix of simple and some complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For instance, 'the changes the site of farm' is missing a preposition, and 'sheep was located' should be plural ('sheep were'). There are also issues with article usage ('the road that's replaced by track') and verb tense consistency. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve the accuracy of your sentences.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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