Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-26
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 show the layout of Beechwood farm in 1950 and the changes that have taken place on the same site today.
Overall, the farm has undergone significant changes, with several new facilities being added, including a farm shop, camping field, solar panels and holiday cottages. However, some agricultural areas and the farmhouse have remained unchanged.
However, a number new facilities have been introduced. A farm shop and a parking area have been added in the northern part of the site. A camping field has also been created, together with several solar panels in the north-eastern corner. In the eastern part of the farm, holiday cottages have been constructed. The original barn has also been moved from its previous position to a new location near the centre of the site.
In conclusion, the farm has evolved from a purely agriculture site into a mixed-use area with new amenities."Keep it concise just a final sentence that reaffirms the big picture.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student provides a clear overview of the major transformations between 1950 and the present, noting the addition of amenities like the farm shop, camping field, solar panels, and holiday cottages. However, there are some inaccuracies and contradictions in the body paragraphs. For instance, the student states that 'some agricultural areas and the farmhouse have remained unchanged,' but the farmhouse is actually surrounded by new holiday cottages and shifted contexts. Furthermore, the claim that the 'original barn has also been moved from its previous position' misinterprets the map; the original barn remains in its general southern location near the farmhouse, while the tracks and surrounding facilities changed. Despite these specific interpretive flaws, the main features are largely covered.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, moving to an overview, presenting body details, and concluding. Cohesive devices are used adequately, though there is some repetitiveness and a contradiction in the transition words ('However, some agricultural areas...' immediately followed by 'However, a number new facilities have been introduced.'). Paragraphing is generally appropriate, and the progression from general to specific is maintained, despite a slight artifact towards the very end where instructions ('Keep it concise...') were accidentally pasted into the text. Overall cohesion is satisfactory.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for an academic task 1 response, featuring appropriate terms such as 'layout,' 'significant changes,' 'facilities,' and 'mixed-use area.' There are a few lexical slips, such as the grammatical omission in 'a number new facilities' (missing 'of') and the misspelling/misuse 'agriculture site' instead of 'agricultural site.' Less common vocabulary is attempted with reasonable success, though control fluctuates slightly. The range is sufficient for the task requirements.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The maps show the layout of Beechwood farm in 1950 and the changes that have taken place on the same site today.' Grammatical control is generally decent, with many error-free clauses. However, minor errors occur, such as the missing preposition ('number new facilities') and some clunky phrasing. Punctuation is mostly accurate, and complex structures do not overly impede communication, placing the response solidly in the band 6 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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