Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-20

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 6.0)

The following maps illustrate the situation of Benchwood Farm back in 1950 while highlighting its major changes up until today.

Overall, various things have been added to the farm without changing much of its appearance from the outside. Some major changes include farm shop, camping field and so on.

Looking at the maps in more detail, a farm shop has been added in the area where fruits trees are located alongside the main road.In addition to this, pathways to the farm have been changed from tracks to proper roads. Similarly, the old barn has been relocated at the left side of the farmhouse while the building has been converted into holiday cottages for tourists.

Furthermore, the field used for grazing sheep has been converted into a camping field. Two parking areas have been constructed at the starting and ending point of the farm. Solar panels are used to power the farm which can be seen at the right side of the camping field near the parking area. In contrast, the area used for planting vegetables and soft fruits remains the same as before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by comparing the two maps of Beechwood Farm from 1950 and today. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the general trend of agricultural reduction and commercial or recreational additions (e.g., farm shop, camping field). Key features are selected and reported, such as the conversion of the sheep grazing area into a camping field, the addition of solar panels, and the transformation of the old barn into holiday cottages. However, there is a minor spatial inaccuracy when stating that the old barn has been relocated to the left side of the farmhouse and the building converted into holiday cottages, whereas the original barn remains in the south and the holiday cottages are newly built north of the farmhouse. Despite this minor misinterpretation, the overall summary is clear and effectively contrasts the past layout with the modern commercialised farm.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is arranged coherently with a clear overall progression from an introductory paraphrase and overview to specific geographical and structural changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different areas of the farm, such as the western and eastern sections. Cohesive devices are employed with reasonable flexibility, including transitional phrases like 'Looking at the maps in more detail', 'In addition to this', and 'Furthermore'. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as using 'the building' without absolute clarity regarding whether it refers to the barn or the farmhouse. Overall logical organisation is maintained throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The lexical range is adequate for the task, successfully handling descriptive language required for map comparisons. The student attempts less common vocabulary such as 'relocated', 'converted', 'retains the same', and 'commercialised' (implied). There are minor spelling and word-choice errors, such as a typo in the introduction ('Benchwood' instead of 'Beechwood') and 'fruits trees' instead of 'fruit trees'. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilising passive structures such as 'have been added', 'has been relocated', and 'have been constructed'. Grammatical control is generally good, and punctuation is handled adequately. While there are a few minor awkward phrasings, such as 'without changing much of its appearance from the outside' and the dangling modifier in the solar panels sentence ('Solar panels are used to power the farm which can be seen...'), the majority of sentences are clear and the errors do not impede communication.

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

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