Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22
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 5.0)
The plans show the site of a farm in 1950 and the same site today.
Overall, there are many new facilities are being developed by adjusting different areas of the farm, as the sheep containing area is now divided in some other facilities by plan to take more advantage of that area by proper adjustment.
In detail, the beechwood farm was designed only for basic needs, like sheep contained half of overall area of farm. The fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables were being in a line alongside the track to the right side of the farm if we stand on the main road looking at the farm. The barn, farmhouse and chickens were also in a row if we can look at them by standing on the triangular track which was in the center of the farm. The beechwood farm was loctaed on the bank of a river and there was a bend in the river near the chickens.
Today, there was a great change in the entire map of farm after plans. Firstly, the sheep area is now being used for camping field, solar panels and parkings. Secondly, the track is now established by making road and the fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables are on the same place, but farm shop is now being added in fruit trees area linking with both main road and farm road. Thirdly, the barn is being attached with triangular road.
Although the farmhouse and chickens are on the same place, the barn area is now replaced by holiday cottages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The candidate attempts to summarise the changes between the 1950 and current maps of Beechwood Farm. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting that new facilities have been developed and the sheep area converted. Key changes such as the addition of the camping field, solar panels, and parking are identified. However, there are notable inaccuracies in reporting the spatial relationships and transformations. For instance, the student states that 'the barn area is now replaced by holiday cottages,' whereas the map shows the original barn remaining near the south and holiday cottages built in a different location north of the farmhouse. Furthermore, the description contains vague spatial references ('right side of the farm if we stand on the main road'). Consequently, the response covers the main features but contains flaws in detail and precision, aligning with Band 5.5 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organised into four paragraphs: an introduction with an overview, a description of the 1950 map, a description of current changes, and a concluding sentence. Progression is attempted using chronological and spatial markers such as 'In detail,' 'Today,' 'Firstly,' 'Secondly,' and 'Thirdly.' However, referencing and cohesion are at times awkward or mechanical, as seen in phrases like 'by plan to take more advantage of that area by proper adjustment.' Paragraphing is used, but the overall logical arrangement suffers from run-on sentences and imprecise transitions. Pronoun referencing and signposting lack the sophistication required for higher bands, placing this performance firmly in Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for conveying basic information about the maps, but it features noticeable limitations and errors. The candidate successfully employs task-specific terms such as 'sheep,' 'fruit trees,' 'soft fruits,' 'vegetables,' 'barn,' 'farmhouse,' and 'solar panels.' However, there are awkward word choices and unnatural collocations, such as 'sheep containing area,' 'sheep contained half of overall area,' and spelling errors like 'loctaed.' Phrasing is often repetitive ('on the same place') and lacks the precision expected at Band 6.0. While communication is not severely impaired, the lexical control is restricted to basic structures and frequent lexical errors, reflecting a Band 5.0 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The candidate attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and conditional-style phrasing ('if we stand on the main road'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak throughout the response. There are frequent errors in verb tense, voice, and subject-verb agreement, such as 'there are many new facilities are being developed,' 'were being in a line,' and 'the track is now established by making road.' Additionally, prepositions are often misused ('on the bank of a river,' 'in fruit trees area'). These persistent errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher grammatical score. Control of grammar is characteristic of Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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