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 two maps illustrate how a beechwood farm was located in 1950 and how it looks now.
Overall, it has been clearly seen the development of today`s farm, as compare to, in 1950. There were a few basic facilities in old farm and the new one is looking much more faciliated and organized.
In 1950, there was a separate dedicated large place for sheeps along the track. In contrast, that large area is redesigned, a camping field is separated, parking has been constructed on both sides of the field and solar panels have been installed in the corner in new located farm. However, the fields for soft drinks and vegetables remained the same from old farm, as well as, the farmhouse and chickens area also untouched.
Furthermore, the track has been changed to a well developed road and a barn has been made on the intersection of the road in new renvoated farm. Moreover, holiday cottages are made near the farm house and on the opposite side a farm shop is also built with fruit trees land.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student attempts to cover the main changes shown in the two maps, noting the replacement of the sheep area with a camping field, parking, and solar panels, as well as the addition of a farm shop, holiday cottages, and an upgraded road system. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, though phrasing like "it has been clearly seen the development of today`s farm" is somewhat awkward. While key developments are mentioned, some details are imprecise, such as the reference to "fields for soft drinks" instead of soft fruits. The comparison between 1950 and the present day is adequately handled, but the development of ideas could be more fully extended to reach a higher band. Overall, the response addresses the prompt's requirements sufficiently to meet Band 6 expectations.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has an overall logical arrangement, dividing information into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific spatial changes. Paragraphing is used, though the transition between ideas can be clunky. Cohesive devices such as "In contrast", "However", and "Furthermore" are utilised to connect ideas, but their application is at times mechanical or slightly unnatural, as seen in "as compare to, in 1950". Referencing and substitution are generally clear, allowing the reader to follow the progression from the past map to the present one, supporting a solid Band 6 level for cohesion and logical flow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, incorporating specific terms related to maps and rural settings such as "camping field", "solar panels", "holiday cottages", and "intersection". However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as referring to "sheeps" (an incorrect plural form) and mistaking "soft fruits" for "soft drinks". Attempts at less common vocabulary are sometimes marred by collocational errors, such as "new located farm" and "renvoated farm" (spelling error). The lexical range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but errors in word formation and choice keep the score at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures ("parking has been constructed", "solar panels have been installed") and subordinate clauses. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including awkward phrasing in the introductory overview ("it has been clearly seen the development"), article misuse ("on old farm", "the farmhouse and chickens area also untouched"), and preposition errors. While these errors do not severely impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a Band 6.5, making Band 6 a fair reflection of the control shown.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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