Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14
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 6.5)
The provided plans depict a comparison of a farm site in 1950 and the same site today.
Overall, it is immediately apparent that the farm underwent considerable changes over the period under review, with several new facilities being introduced, whereas some existing features were removed or relocated.
Turning to the specifics, in 1950, the farm consisted mainly of a farmhouse, a kitchen garden, a cow shed, a poultry area and an orchard. The farmhouse was located in the eastern part of the site, while the kitchen garden was situated nearby. There was also a cow shed in the southern part of the farm and a poultry area in the north-west.
As for the changes made to the site, the kitchen garden and cow shed have been removed, while a farm shop, car park and additional buildings have been added. The farmhouse remains in the same general location, although the surrounding area has been developed considerably. Meanwhile, the orchard has been reduced in size, and the overall layout of the farm has become more developed and commercialised.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by providing a clear summary and comparison of the two farm site plans from 1950 and the present day. The overview paragraph effectively highlights the main general trends, noting that the farm underwent considerable changes with new facilities introduced and old ones removed. Specific details are reported accurately, such as the location of the farmhouse, the former kitchen garden and cow shed, and the newly added farm shop and car park. The information is well-selected, and key features are contrasted appropriately without unnecessary listing. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is structured sensibly, starting with an introduction, moving to an overview, detailing the 1950 layout, and concluding with current modifications. Cohesive devices are used effectively and flexibly, as seen in phrases like 'Turning to the specifics', 'while the kitchen garden was situated nearby', and 'Meanwhile, the orchard has been reduced'. Paragraphing is managed logically and appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the report. Referencing is clear throughout the text, ensuring smooth transitions between ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is sufficient for the task and demonstrates an attempt to use less common items with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'considerable changes', 'commercialised', and 'period under review'. Word choice is generally appropriate and precise enough to convey the spatial relationships and chronological changes accurately. There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. While the range of vocabulary is adequate to achieve flexibility and precision, it falls just short of the wide, flexible range required for a Band 8.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses and participial phrases effectively (e.g., 'with several new facilities being introduced, whereas some existing features were removed'). There is good control of grammar and punctuation, and the majority of sentences are error-free. Complex structures are handled with reasonable accuracy, and verbs are correctly tense-shifted between past descriptions (1950) and present situations (today). The grammatical control matches the Band 7 criteria, where frequent error-free sentences coexist with a few minor limitations.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.