Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-08

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 show the changes in the farm from 1950 to the present. Overall, the area underwent significant development, with the sheep field being turned into a camping site, and solar panels have also been installed. Additionally, holiday cottages, a farm shop and parking spaces have been added. Furthermore, the rough track is now converted into a well-constructed road.

In 1950, the sheep area was converted into many different sites such as a camping field, parking places, and solar panels. However, soft fruits, vegetables, a farmhouse, and a chicken shelter were planted. A farm shop has also been added among the fruit trees. Parking slots have been added on the opposite side of the entrance for visitors' convenience. Moreover, holiday cottages have replaced the barn area, and the barn has been relocated between the farmhouse and the vegetable section, which also connects to the road. Campaign fields are installed for visitors' ease in order for them to enjoy nature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from a farm to a more visitor-oriented site, mentioning the camping area, solar panels, cottages, shop and parking. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the sheep field was not converted into all of the listed facilities, as the camping field occupies part of it while parking and solar panels are separate additions. The farmhouse, chickens, fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables were already present in 1950, so saying they “were planted” misrepresents the comparison. The barn was not relocated between the farmhouse and vegetable section; it is now southwest of the farmhouse. A clearer overview and accurate descriptions of what remained, moved or was added would make the report more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an opening overview followed by a detail paragraph, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Additionally” and “Moreover” help signal relationships. However, the second paragraph does not progress clearly through the site: it moves from the sheep area to existing crops, then to the shop, parking, cottages and barn without a consistent spatial or chronological structure. Some connections are also confusing, particularly “In 1950, the sheep area was converted,” which mixes the past date with present-day changes. Grouping features by location or by whether they were retained, added or replaced would create a clearer progression. The repeated use of additive linkers also makes cohesion somewhat mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “camping site,” “solar panels,” “holiday cottages” and “relocated,” and the main subject is generally understandable. Some choices are imprecise or unsuitable for describing a map. “Chicken shelter” does not match the labelled chicken area, while “Campaign fields” appears to be an incorrect form of “camping field.” “Were planted” is also an inaccurate collocation for describing existing land uses, and “well-constructed road” adds an unsupported judgement. “Parking places” and “parking slots” are understandable but less natural than “parking areas.” More precise map vocabulary and careful checking of word forms would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and the clause “which also connects to the road.” Most sentences communicate their general meaning, but some grammatical choices make the timeline or relationships unclear. For example, “In 1950, the sheep area was converted” uses a past-time marker for a change that describes the present-day plan; “soft fruits, vegetables, a farmhouse, and a chicken shelter were planted” also gives an unsuitable passive construction for these features. Tense shifts between “have been added,” “were converted” and “are installed” are not consistently controlled. Keep past forms for the 1950 layout and present forms for today, and use sentence structures that clearly distinguish additions from retained features.

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