Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-01
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 illustrates the changes that took place in Beechwood Farm between 1950 and today.
Overall, the area became more developed with major addition of a camping field and solar panels. Meanwhile, the parking area has increased. The barn was also replaced near the road.
In the earlier map, sheep were located above the track. By today, it had been replaced with camping field,solar panels and parking. In addition, barn was replaced with holiday cottage was constructed below the road.
Another significant change barn constructed at curve of the road. The track was converted into a road not extended, while all trees were remained unchanged, But in the fruit trees they constructed a new farm shop. Therefore, the beechwood farm was developed greatly so tourists can visit it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the task partially, attempting to present an overview and select main features, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, finishing at only 128 words. While an overview is provided mentioning general development, some details are inaccurate or under-developed. For instance, the statement that 'all trees were remained unchanged' overlooks the addition of a camping field and solar panels in areas previously occupied by sheep, and the spatial relationships between the old and new features are sometimes confused. To reach a higher level, you should ensure the response meets the length requirement, provide a clearer and more comprehensive overview, and report key changes more accurately without omitting major spatial reconfigurations.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The essay displays some organization with a basic introduction and concluding sentence, but it lacks a clear overall progression. The paragraphing is underdeveloped, and cohesive devices are used repetitively or inaccurately, such as the abrupt transitions between sentences ('Meanwhile', 'In addition', 'Another significant change'). Referencing is also occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow which structures correspond to specific locations on the maps. To improve in this area, you should group related information logically, use a wider range of cohesive links naturally, and ensure clear referencing between sentences so that the comparison flows smoothly from start to finish.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to describe the general transformations on the farm, featuring terms like 'developed', 'converted', and 'constructed'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'major addition of a camping field', 'road not extended', and 'all trees were remained unchanged', which include passive voice and word choice slips. Less common vocabulary is attempted with some inaccuracy. To achieve a higher score, you need to use a wider and more precise range of vocabulary suitable for describing map changes, avoiding unnatural collocations and ensuring correct word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response uses a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic past passive forms. Attempts at more complex structures are often faulty, as seen in erroneous verb phrases like 'were remained' and missing articles or prepositions. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as tense inconsistencies and awkward clause structures, which occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To improve your grammar score, you should incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence patterns, maintain accurate tense control when comparing past and present layouts, and carefully check your verb forms and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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