Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-27
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 given diagram illustrates the development of a farm from 1950 till today.
The farm has gone several development changes in the given time frame, with major changes are in the utilization of sheep area. Over the time, sheep area has been divided into camping field with proper parking areas and solar panels for efficient energy resources to run the farm smoothly.
In 1950, the biggest area of the which lies in the north east was dedicated for the sheep farming divided by the track with other areas of the farm. If we start the track from roadside, which is in north west, we will first see the area of fruit trees followed by soft fruits and vegetables. Following the track, we will find designated area for barn behing which is a farmhouse and small area for the chickens. From the north west to south, a river is flowing across the farm.
Currently the farm has gone several deveopment changes, the sheep area in the north west has been changed into a camping field along with two parking areas, located in the north west and eat, and a dedicated space for solar panels. Track has been developed into road. The area of fruit trees has now also been given a farm shop with no changes in the area of soft fruits and vegetables. Another major change has been in the location of Barn, being relocated to the adjointment of the road and its original place being replaced by holiday cottages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 the present day. The candidate provides a clear overview in the introduction, noting major transformations such as the conversion of the sheep area into a camping site with parking and solar panels. Key features are selected and reported, including the addition of a farm shop, holiday cottages, and the relocation of the barn. However, there are minor spatial inaccuracies, such as stating that the sheep area was in the north-west in both paragraphs or slightly misinterpreting the exact locations of certain additions. Overall, the information is well-selected and presented with a clear comparative structure, satisfying the main requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs detailing the 1950 and current layouts, and a concluding comparison of the main changes. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the spatial transitions, such as 'In 1950', 'If we start the track', and 'Currently the farm has gone several development changes'. However, paragraphing is slightly disjointed, and referencing between sentences can occasionally feel mechanical or repetitive. Transitional phrases are present, but more sophisticated cohesive linking would be required for a higher band. Paragraphs are mostly focused, yet the overall progression could be smoother.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The candidate demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing maps and geographical changes, using terms like 'utilization', 'designated area', 'relocated', and 'conversion'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation, such as 'gone several development changes' instead of 'undergone several developmental changes', and 'adjointment of the road' instead of 'adjacent to the road'. Spelling errors are also present, such as 'behing' instead of 'behind' and 'deveopment'. While less common vocabulary is attempted, these inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching a higher level, though communication is not impeded.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial constructions like 'If we start the track from roadside... we will first see...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, such as 'major changes are in the utilization' (incorrect verb form), 'the biggest area of the which lies' (unnecessary article/pronoun error), and 'Track has been developed into road' (missing article). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips in preposition usage and verb agreements occur regularly. These errors do not obscure meaning, but they restrict the range of error-free sentences.
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