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 diagram illustrates the site of a Beechwood farm in 1950 and after the redevelopment of the same site today.
Overall, there are various changes made over the period where many things are replaced, redeveloped, removed and relocated. The major change was done at the sheep area where several things are added like camping ,parking and solar panels.
In 1950, the track which now is officially a road, there were fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetable remained the same but there is a farm shop installed in the fruit tree. On the opposite of the road there used to be a sheep area which is now added with parking, camping fields where people can have different a experience and a solar pannels are installed. Toward the east there is a barn which is now replaced with holiday cottages , where people can stay comfortably. Additionally, next to the cottages there is the farmhouse which remained the same. There is a barn at the dead end where chickens are also seen. Furthermore, there is a river which cross through the road.
There are many changes seen throught the development by making it more convenient.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to describe the changes shown in the two maps of Beechwood Farm. An overview is provided, noting that many features were replaced, redeveloped, or added, particularly in the former sheep area. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and confusing descriptions regarding the layout changes. For instance, the text states that 'the track which now is officially a road, there were fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetable remained the same but there is a farm shop installed in the fruit tree', which is grammatically tangled and difficult to follow. Furthermore, some key features are missed or imprecisely located, and the overall progression lacks the polished structure expected for a higher band. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of clarity and some confusion in reporting the spatial relationships keep this at a Band 5.5 level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into a brief introduction, body sentences, and an overall conclusion, attempting a logical sequence. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, and sentences within the body lack smooth transitions. Cohesive devices are used in a basic or repetitive manner (e.g., 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', 'There are many changes seen...'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'where people can have different a experience and a solar pannels are installed' connected loosely to the previous clause. The overall arrangement provides a general overview, but mechanical referencing and awkward transitions prevent the response from achieving a higher score, placing it firmly at Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary relevant to the maps, such as 'redevelopment', 'relocated', 'farm shop', and 'holiday cottages'. However, there are notable word choice and spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'pannels' instead of panels, 'throught' instead of through, and awkward phrases like 'added with parking'. Lexical control is inconsistent, and attempts at less common vocabulary often result in unnatural collocations or grammatical mismatches (e.g., 'added with parking, camping fields'). This performance aligns with Band 5.0 descriptors, as the vocabulary is minimally adequate for the task but contains noticeable errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, run-on structures, and missing prepositions or articles, such as 'where many things are replaced' and 'the track which now is officially a road, there were fruit trees...'. Spelling and punctuation issues also occur (e.g., 'a solar pannels'). While the sentences can generally be understood with effort, the high frequency of structural slips and awkward syntax prevents the text from reaching Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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