Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-17

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 maps compare the layout of the Beechwood Farm before and after the redevelopments that have taken place from 1950 to the present.

From an overall perspective, the most significant changes include the destruction of barn and the construction of solar panels. Another interesting point is the development of camping field.

Looking at the map from 1950, the farm had a large area for sheep then it replaced by solar panels and camping field. There are 2 parking areas. The first is near to the main road in the northwest and another is near to the eastern road. The barn which was located near the farmhouse has been relocated to near the river. The old barn site has been converted into holiday cottages.

As for other details, the track which leads to the barn has been transformed into a road. The farmhouse, chicken area, fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetable areas have remained unchanged. In addition, now fruit trees area contains farm shop.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student attempts to summarise the main features of the maps, noting the changes between 1950 and today. However, there are some inaccuracies and incomplete comparisons. For instance, the student states that the sheep area 'replaced by solar panels and camping field,' whereas the visual data shows that solar panels and camping occupy different parts of the site. Furthermore, the overview mentions the 'destruction of barn,' but the maps clearly indicate that the barn still exists, having been relocated or maintained alongside a new one. The response covers the main areas such as the fruit trees, parking, and holiday cottages, but contains sweeping generalisations and misreadings of specific map details. This corresponds to Band 5.5 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into four paragraphs, following a logical progression from introduction to overview, body details, and final remarks. Cohesive devices such as 'From an overall perspective,' 'Looking at the map,' and 'As for other details' are employed to structure the text, although they are at times mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the comparison. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'then it replaced by,' which creates a slight jump in logic. Overall cohesion is adequate for a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student attempts some less common vocabulary relevant to map tasks, such as 'redevelopments,' 'relocated,' and 'transformed.' However, there are notable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'destruction of barn' (instead of relocation or rebuilding) and 'now fruit trees area contains farm shop' (missing articles and awkward phrasing). Repetition of basic structures is noticeable, but the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general meaning of the changes. This places the lexical performance firmly at Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ('The barn which was located near the farmhouse...'). However, there are several grammatical errors and missing words that disrupt fluency, including passive voice errors ('it replaced by solar panels') and missing articles ('the camping field', 'the fruit trees area'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and communication is rarely impeded, but the density of minor structural errors keeps the score at Band 5.5.

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

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