Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The maps illustrate how a beechwood farm was organised in 1950 and how it was transformed in recent years following a major renovation.
Overall, the farm has been significantly modernised with new facalities added for recreation , solar panels, parking, camping field and other major changes, replacing some of the traditional features.
To begin with, in 1950 the farm had a simple layout with a sheep farm in upper site of track. To the lower left site there were fruit trees, soft fruits and a vegetables. In right side the farm also include barn, farmhouse, and a chicken area.
By contrast, the present map shows a more developed space. Road replace track on the middle of the farm and, on top side parking area camping feed and solar panels replace whole sheep space. Moreover on buttom left side farm shop is built and other structure remain same as past. But on right lower side the location of barn is moved and there holiday cottages are new constructed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by comparing the 1950 map of Beechwood Farm with the current layout. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting key changes such as modernisation, the introduction of recreational facilities, solar panels, and parking spaces. Major features are reported, such as the replacement of the sheep area with a camping field and solar panels, and the construction of holiday cottages. However, some descriptions are slightly imprecise or under-developed, such as stating 'other structure remain same as past' when several details changed. Overall, the response covers the main trends and comparisons adequately, aligning well with the Band 6.0 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for the past and present layouts. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'By contrast', and 'Moreover' are utilised to structure the information, though some transitional phrasing feels slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two time periods. Referencing is generally clear, although the progression could be smoother in places. Overall, the organizational structure meets the requirements for a Band 6.0 rating.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts to incorporate less common items related to map descriptions, such as 'transformed', 'modernised', and 'recreation'. However, there are notable spelling and word choice errors, including 'facalities' instead of facilities, 'upper site' instead of upper section, 'feed' instead of field, 'buttom' instead of bottom, and 'new constructed' instead of newly constructed. These lexical slips slightly impede precision but do not prevent communication, placing the response firmly at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The maps illustrate how a beechwood farm was organised...' and 'Road replace track on the middle of the farm...'. Grammatical accuracy is inconsistent, with several errors in verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions (e.g., 'Road replace' instead of roads replaced, 'in upper site' instead of in the upper part, 'there holiday cottages are new constructed' instead of holiday cottages were newly constructed). While these errors do not completely obscure meaning, they occur frequently enough to cap the score at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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