Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29
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 diagrams indicate the transformation to the layout of Beechwood farm between 150 and the present day.
Overall, it is readily apparent that the farm has been converted into modernised structure for tourists including new facilities holiday cottages, parking and camping field, while retaining some old facilities.
In 1950, the north-western pasture was occupied for sheep farming area, and immediately left, a road was costructed from east to the north, which has ramained unchanged, today. Furthermore, the track was situated in middle of the farm, north side of the fruit trees, soft trees and vegetables area. Moreover, in the north-western part of the plan a barn, farm house and the chicken area were located.
In the current times, the sheep farming area has been demolished, and at the north-west border solar panels are constructed, near the parking area. on the left, the camping field, tree have been built, next to the west parking area, which was adjescent to the road. Notebly, the track, which was bisceting to the north and south area has been converted into the road. In the south corner, a barn has been replaced from east to west, adjecent to the road. Finally, the holiday cottages have been added in the west section of the farm, and immediately alongside the cottages, the farm house and chickens are the same, which were in the past.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The candidate successfully addresses all parts of the task by identifying the main features and making relevant comparisons between the two maps. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the overall changes such as the addition of tourism facilities and modernised structures while retaining some old ones. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the spatial details and features compared to the provided visual data, such as misidentifying the location of solar panels and confusing the layout of the orchard and soft fruit areas. Despite these minor misreadings and a typo with the year ('between 150'), the response covers the scope of the maps adequately.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is arranged into logical paragraphs with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing past and present layouts. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the comparison (e.g., 'Overall', 'In 1950', 'In the current times', 'Furthermore'). However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and the progression within the body paragraphs becomes slightly cluttered when describing spatial shifts (e.g., 'on the left, the camping field, tree have been built, next to the west parking area, which was adjescent to the road'). Paragraphing is used appropriately, but overall cohesion feels somewhat mechanical.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of vocabulary relevant to describing map transformations, such as 'demolished', 'converted', 'retained', and 'modernised structure'. However, there are frequent lexical errors, inappropriate word choices, and spelling mistakes throughout the text (e.g., 'between 150' instead of 1950, 'costructed', 'ramained', 'bisceting', 'adjecent', 'Notebly'). While the range is adequate to convey the basic message, these frequent errors and imprecise collocations prevent the vocabulary score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The candidate attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and passive voice constructions (e.g., 'the sheep farming area has been demolished', 'a road was costructed'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with multiple errors in tense, preposition usage, and article selection (e.g., 'was occupied for sheep farming area', 'at the north-west border solar panels are constructed', 'a barn has been replaced from east to west'). Although these errors do not completely obscure meaning, they occur frequently enough to impede smooth reading.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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