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 maps compare the original layout of Beechwood Farm in 1950 with its current form.

Overall, the farm has undergone major changes, most notably the sheep area, which became divided into a camping field and solar panel area. Furthermore, they have switched the barn place and made some transformations in the fruit tree site. The track developed and became a road.

Solar panels and a camping field were established in the initial sheep area to attract visitors and enhance the sustainability of the site, and they added two different parking spots for each place. Furthermore, the initial pathway was a simple track and now has become a principal road.

Moreover, in the southern area, they have added a small farm shop in the fruit tree site and have switched the place of the main barn. Also, they have cut the ancient barn into three pieces and made there a place for holiday cottages. The river and the car road remained as before.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully compares the two maps of Beechwood Farm, noting key transformations such as the conversion of the sheep area into a camping field and solar panel site, the addition of a farm shop, and the creation of holiday cottages. An overview is present in the second paragraph, capturing the major changes. However, some details are slightly inaccurate or confusingly expressed, such as claiming they 'cut the ancient barn into three pieces' when the maps show the old barn position shifted and holiday cottages placed where the old barn or its immediate surroundings were located. Nevertheless, all parts of the visual data are generally addressed, and key features are highlighted appropriately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs discussing specific areas of the farm. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different zones (the northern/sheep area and the southern/barn area). Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well to guide the reader through the comparisons, using phrases like 'Overall', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover'. However, some referencing is slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'switched the barn place' and 'for each place', which slightly detracts from the fluency of logical progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with appropriate references to geographical and structural features like 'layout', 'camping field', 'solar panels', 'holiday cottages', and 'farm shop'. However, there are several instances of unnatural phrasing and imprecise word choice, such as 'switched the barn place', 'cut the ancient barn into three pieces', and 'car road'. These lexical choices reveal a limited ability to handle less common vocabulary precisely, restricting the score to a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'the sheep area, which became divided into...'). There is good control over past and present tenses needed for a 'then and now' map task. While there are a few minor awkward constructions and prepositions errors (e.g., 'in the fruit tree site' instead of 'at' or 'within'), the grammatical structures are generally sound and do not impede communication, allowing the majority of sentences to remain clear.

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