Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-16

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 7.5)

The two plans illustrate the changes that took place at Beechwood Farm between 1950 and the present day.

Overall, the farm has been considerably modernised and developed for tourism and renewable energy. While the areas used for fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables have remained unchanged, the sheep has disappeared and several new facilities have been introduced.

In 1950, the northern part of the farm consisted mainly of a large sheep field, while fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables are grown in the western and central areas. There was a barn, a farmhouse and a chicken area in the southeast. A network of tracks connected these buildings and the different part of the farm. The river and the main road were also present at that time.

Today, the fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetable areas remain in the same locations. However, the sheep field has been replaced by a camping field, solar panels and a parking area. A farm shop has also been added near the enterance, along with another parking area. The former tracks have been largely converted into roads. In addition, holiday cottages have been built near the farmhouse, while the barn has been relocated closer to the centre of the site. The chicken area remains in the southeast, although its surroundings have changed significantly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making clear comparisons between the 1950 map and the current plan of Beechwood Farm. The overview is well-crafted, pointing out that the farm has been modernised and developed for tourism and renewable energy, while correctly noting which agricultural elements remained unchanged (fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetables). Key developments such as the replacement of the sheep field with a camping area, solar panels, and parking spaces, as well as the addition of holiday cottages and the relocation of the barn, are accurately captured. The response meets all requirements of Task Achievement at a high standard, demonstrating a fully developed overview and accurate data selection.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paragraph, followed by a concise overview, a detailed description of the past layout, and finally the current layout. Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally throughout the text, such as 'While the areas used for...', 'In 1950, the northern part...', and 'Today, the fruit trees...'. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently to separate different aspects of the visual data. Referencing and substitution are handled skillfully, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two time periods without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary relevant to describing maps and changes over time, including terms such as 'modernised', 'developed', 'retained', 'converted', and 'relocated'. Less common lexical items and collocations are used effectively, such as 'renewable energy', 'triangular junction', and 'surroundings have changed significantly'. There are only minor lexical slips, such as the spelling error 'enterance' instead of 'entrance', and a slight grammatical slip with 'the sheep has disappeared' (should be sheep plural or sheep fields). Overall, the lexical resource is strong and supports clear communication of complex spatial and temporal changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student displays a good variety of sentence structures, mixing simple and complex forms successfully. Complex structures are utilized effectively, such as concessive clauses ('While the areas used for fruit trees... have remained unchanged, the sheep has disappeared') and relative clauses. There is good control over tense usage, appropriately shifting between the past simple tense for the 1950 plan ('consisted', 'was a barn', 'connected') and the present simple or present perfect for current features ('remain', 'has been replaced', 'have been built'). While there are a few minor errors—such as 'the different part' instead of 'parts' and 'the sheep has disappeared'—the majority of sentences are error-free and communication is never impeded.

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