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 map illustrates the changes in Beechwood farm that took place between the 1950 and the present.
Overall, the beechwood farm has undergone significant changes in the layout and facilities.Several existing areas were replaced and converted, while a number of new areas, such as camping field, solar panels and a holiday cottages, were introduced.
In the past, the sheep had located in the nothwest corner of the farm, while the barn, farmhouse and a chicken were situated on the western side of the farm. There was a track located in the center of the farm, moreover fruit trees, soft fruit and a vegetables were located in the eastern side of the farm. There was a river situated on the southern side of the farm.
At present, the sheep has been replaced by solar panels, camping field and a parking. In the centre, the track has been replaced by the road. Similarly, the barn has been converted into holiday cottages, In addition Farmshop has added on the eastern side of the farm, the barn has changes the placed in the bottom of the triangular road.
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 covers all main parts of the task by identifying the key changes between 1950 and the present day at Beechwood farm. An overview is successfully provided in the second paragraph, highlighting that the farm underwent significant layout and facility changes, such as the addition of a camping field, solar panels, and holiday cottages. Key features and comparisons are reported, noting how the sheep area and track were replaced. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in spatial reporting; for instance, the student states that the fruit trees, soft fruit, and vegetables were located in the eastern side in the past, whereas the reference shows them in the center-west, and some locations in the final paragraph are slightly confused. Nonetheless, the core information is effectively summarised, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay has a coherent overall arrangement and is divided into appropriate paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by an overview, a description of the past layout, and finally the present changes. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as "Overall," "In the past," and "At present." However, cohesion can be somewhat mechanical, and referencing is occasionally faulty, as seen in punctuation errors and awkward transitions like the comma splice in the final sentence ("...holiday cottages, In addition Farmshop has added..."). Paragraphing is logical, but the internal flow within paragraphs could be smoother to achieve a higher band.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms relevant to map description such as "layout," "facilities," "converted," and "replaced." There are several lexical and collocation errors, such as "the sheep had located" (instead of were located), "soft fruit" (instead of soft fruits), "a vegetables," and "the barn has changes the placed." Spelling is generally correct, and while these errors do not impede communication, they reflect limitations in precision and word choice that restrict the score to Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures ("had been replaced," "has been converted") and introductory adverbial clauses ("In the past,"). However, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense misuse ("the sheep had located" instead of were located, "Farmshop has added" instead of a farm shop has been added), missing articles ("a camping field... a holiday cottages"), and faulty verb forms ("the barn has changes the placed"). Punctuation errors, such as comma splices, also occur. These errors occasionally cause difficulty or require rereading, placing the performance firmly in Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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