Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-10
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 diagram given below depicts the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today with drastic changes done to improve the quality of the farm.
Overall, what stands out from the beechwood farm, is in the 1950's era there the land farm is majorly divided into three divisions which are fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables. It also includes so much of waste land.
Furthermore, there is a road which goes over the river which passes beside the beechwood farm and connected to the track which has been made from the main road. In comparison, there is a lot of sheep land which is opposite to fruits farming area which has been modified by installing parking area, camping field with trees and tents included and also solar panels for conserving energy and storing sunlight resources
On the other hand, they have developed the farm by constructing roads in the middle of the farm to travel to the centre of the farm. They have also installed so many things for example, a shop in fruit trees sector.as we have the developed road, the barn is attached to the road in between the beechwood farm which was earlier at he corner and also farmhouse, holiday cottages replaced with barn and they have a small place for the chickens which is untouched.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the maps, such as the transition from agricultural land to a more developed site. However, the description is somewhat disorganized and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you mention the 'drastic changes,' the summary could be more precise by highlighting the shift from a purely agricultural focus to a mixed-use site including tourism and energy production. Some details, such as the specific location of the barn and the road layout, are described in a confusing manner, making it difficult for the reader to visualize the changes accurately. To improve, ensure you group features logically rather than listing them in a way that obscures the overall transformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression within them is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'Furthermore' and 'On the other hand,' which do not always logically connect the preceding and following ideas. The referencing is also unclear at times; for example, phrases like 'the barn is attached to the road in between the beechwood farm' are ambiguous. The flow of information is disjointed, and the lack of clear signposting makes it difficult to follow the comparison between the 1950 site and the current one. Improving the use of transition signals and ensuring clear subject-referencing would significantly enhance the readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on repetitive or imprecise phrasing, such as 'installed so many things' and 'so much of waste land.' There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'opposite to fruits farming area' and 'storing sunlight resources.' While you attempt to describe the features, the lack of specific terminology for map descriptions (e.g., 'situated in the north-east,' 'replaced by,' 'converted into') limits your score. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns related to land use and development would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('there the land farm is majorly divided'), missing articles, and awkward sentence construction ('as we have the developed road, the barn is attached to the road'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of periods and commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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