Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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 maps illustrate the layout of the Beechwood farm in 1950 and the same site today.
Overall, the main trend occurs in the upper right corner, where in past only sheep were present but now there are different developments likes olar panels, car parking and camping field.
In 1950 near the road and river, there were only fruit trees in the past, but now farm shops are present, across the road there is a car parking, while soft fruits and vegetables are same like in the past. In the upper-right corner there was only sheep area in the past but now it is completely developed with camping field, solar panels and car parking near the road. Barn was present near the middle right corner but now it was replace by holiday cottages and barn is move near the edge of triangular road.
Farmhouse and chickens are placed at same places as it is in the presemt mear the river.
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 student attempts to address the task by comparing the maps of Beechwood Farm in 1950 and today, identifying several key transformations such as the addition of the camping field, solar panels, and holiday cottages. However, the overview is somewhat limited and poorly focused, singling out only the upper right corner rather than providing a holistic summary of the major structural changes across the entire site. Furthermore, there are some inaccuracies in reporting spatial relationships, such as stating the barn 'is move near the edge of triangular road' when it has actually been relocated further south. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of a clear, comprehensive overview and minor inaccuracies place this response firmly in Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response shows a basic level of organization, moving from an introductory sentence to descriptions of specific areas. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped; the entire body of the response is crammed into a single block of text rather than being structured logically into clear paragraphs (e.g., separating the northern/eastern developments from the southern/central changes). Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes repetitive or awkwardly placed, such as the overused phrase 'in the past' within the same sentences. While there is a discernible logical sequence moving around the map, the lack of appropriate paragraphing and limited cohesive control restricts the score to a 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'layout', 'developments', 'holiday cottages', and 'solar panels'. However, lexical range is fairly limited and basic. There are several spelling and word formation errors, such as 'likes olar panels' (like solar panels) and 'presemt mear' (present near). Furthermore, vocabulary is often repetitive, relying heavily on basic descriptive words. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general message, these persistent inaccuracies and the limited range prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('where in past only sheep were present', 'now it was replace'), missing articles ('a car parking'), and preposition misuse ('placed at same places'). Subject-verb agreement and voice are also mishandled in places, such as 'barn is move near'. Although these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, they are frequent enough to cause difficulty for the reader and demonstrate weak control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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