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 figures demonstrate the transformation of a farm since 1950 to the present day.
Overall, the grazing area for the sheep covered the most area in 1950 but in its place there are some new additions now.
The area on the northwest of the road has significantly transformed its layout in new design. There are two parking areas on the two sides of road with the addition of camping fields and solar panel installations. Meanwhile, the area reserved in first figure for soft fruits and vegetables remain untouched in second figure as well.The fruit trees along the main road has an addition of farm shop in modern layout.
Similarly, at the junction of roads a barn is built now. While the farmhouse and chickens area remained intact, the barn area from initial layout is now replaced with holiday cottages. Moreover, the road infrastructure is also upgraded now from initial tracks.
In conclusion, there is significant development in infrastructure of farm land according to modern needs.
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 successfully highlights the major changes between the two maps, such as the replacement of the sheep grazing area with a camping field and solar panels, and the upgrading of the tracks into roads. An overview is present at the beginning and end of the response. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reporting location details; for instance, the original barn location was replaced by holiday cottages rather than just stating 'the barn area from initial layout is now replaced with holiday cottages' without clarifying the new barn position. Furthermore, some comparisons lack precision. Overall, the response addresses the prompt adequately, covering the main features of both maps, which places it firmly in Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs detailing different sections of the farm, and ending with a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Similarly', and 'Moreover' are used to connect ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is handled appropriately to separate different spatial areas of the farm. While referencing is generally clear, occasional awkward phrasing in sentence transitions slightly disrupts the overall progression, making Band 6 the most accurate descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of vocabulary suitable for a map transformation task, including words and phrases like 'transformation', 'infrastructure', 'solar panel installations', and 'remain untouched'. However, there are some lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'significantly transformed its layout in new design' and 'the area reserved in first figure'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the range of less common vocabulary is somewhat limited and lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The figures demonstrate the transformation of a farm since 1950 to the present day' and 'There are two parking areas on the two sides of road with the addition of camping fields and solar panel installations.' There are some minor grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('on the two sides of road', 'in first figure') and preposition choice ('since 1950 to' instead of 'from 1950 to'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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