Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-09

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 rendered maps depict the information about the location of a farm in 1950 and the similar site now.

Overall, the major alterations are the installation solar panels in north-east direction and the minor changes are track converted into road which is connected with barn.

In detail, the open space of sheep located in north-east direction and track situated in the middle of the map in triangular shape. Fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables situated in queue. Barn placed on the left side of the road, farmhouse and chickens situated in south-east direction in year 1950.

In case of today, track converted into road and it is connected with barn in south direction. The queue remained same, the addition of farm shop in fruit trees section. Barn replaced by holiday cottages and parking is added. Installation of solar panels in north-east direction and sheep area used for camping field. Parking is constructed near the road and the river remained similar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two time periods and give an overview of change, including the new solar panels and the conversion of tracks into roads. You also mention several relevant features, such as the farm shop, camping field, parking and river. However, some key comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: the barn was not replaced by holiday cottages; the cottages are south of the eastern road, while the barn remains in a different position. The sheep area is described as being in the north-east, but it was north of the track in 1950, and the present-day map shows a camping field there. The overview also calls the road changes “minor” without summarising the broader shift towards tourism and visitor facilities. Select the main changes more accurately and explain their locations clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening overview is followed by a paragraph about 1950 and one about today. This gives the reader a basic chronological route through the maps, and linking phrases such as “Overall,” “In detail,” and “In case of today” signal the stages. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several locations and changes are compressed into short, list-like statements. “The queue remained same” is also unclear as a reference, and the relationship between the barn, cottages and parking is not explained. Use clearer comparisons between corresponding areas and more precise referencing, rather than relying on repeated “and” constructions, to make the organisation smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “installation,” “converted,” “situated,” “addition,” and “remained,” so the reader can understand the general subject and several changes. However, the range is limited and some choices are unnatural or imprecise. “The similar site now” is not a natural way to describe the present-day plan, while “in queue” does not clearly convey that the fields are arranged in a row. “Installation solar panels” and “sheep area used for camping field” also show difficulty selecting accurate forms and collocations. Aim for precise location and change language, such as “to the north-east,” “was replaced by,” and “was converted into a camping field.” This would make the descriptions more fluent and reduce ambiguity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors recur in articles, prepositions and verb patterns. For example, “the installation solar panels” needs an article and a grammatical link, while “Fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables situated in queue” lacks a finite verb and an article. “Barn replaced by holiday cottages” also omits the auxiliary verb, and “in year 1950” needs an article. These patterns make some descriptions abrupt or unclear. Practise complete sentences with accurate past and present forms, and use comparison structures such as “whereas” or “while” to express changes without relying on fragments.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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