Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-30
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 illustrate how Beechwood Farm has changed from 1950 to the present day.
Overall, the farm has undergone considerable redevelopment, with several new facilities being added. The sheep area has been converted into the several new facilities, while the fruit trees area has been added to the new farm shop.
In 1950, the sheep area was located in the north-eastern part of the farm, while the fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetable area were situated in the north-western site of the beechwood farm. The track path was situated in the central part of the farm and it connected to 2 track. In addition, the barn and farmhouse were located in the south-eastern part of the farm and the chicken area was located in the southern part of the beechwood farm. The river pass through between the fruit trees area to the barn area.
In the current layout, The sheep area has been undegone considerable development. The sheep area has been replaced by the 2 parking areas, Camping fields, solar panels and the big tree. While farm shop has been converted into the holday cottages and the farmhouse and chicken area have remained unchanged. In addition, track areas have been replaced by road and far side of the corner has been added the Barn.
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 address the task by comparing the two maps of Beechwood Farm in 1950 and today. An overview is provided, and key changes are identified, such as the conversion of the sheep area into parking and camping fields. However, there are some inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the visual data. For instance, the student states that the 'farm shop has been converted into the holiday cottages', whereas the maps show the farm shop and holiday cottages as distinct additions in different locations. Furthermore, the description contains some contradictory and confusing statements regarding the repositioning of features. Despite these shortcomings, the main spatial transformations are presented, placing this response at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is arranged into logical paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by an overview, a description of the 1950 layout, and finally the current layout. However, overall progression is somewhat hampered by repetitive structures and mechanical cohesive devices. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as when discussing 'the 2 track' or 'the far side of the corner'. While paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body details, and overview, the lack of smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs limits the coherence to a Band 6.0 level.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing maps, including terms like 'redevelopment', 'converted', 'situated', and 'adjacent' (implied). There are several awkward collocations and lexical errors, such as 'The map illustrate' (instead of 'illustrates'), 'track path', and 'undegone' (spelling error). The student attempts some less common vocabulary like 'considerable redevelopment', but inaccuracies in word form and choice prevent access to higher bands. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient to communicate the main points, earning a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The map illustrate'), misuse of articles ('into the several new facilities', 'the 2 parking areas'), and awkward passive constructions ('The sheep area has been undegone considerable development'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips occur frequently enough to occasionally cause minor confusion for the reader. This performance aligns with the Band 5.5 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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