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 two figures show the comparison of the Beechfood Farm site from 1950s and today, showing the modernization of the area with road, parking and shops.

In 1950, the farm had one simple track that was connecting to the main highway. Alongside the rough track, the upper part was used for sheeps, while the bottom area along side the river was divided for agricultural purposes. It had three areas of fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetable farming while the fourth area was occupied with a barn, a farmhouse and some space for growing chickens.

Today the rough track has been converted into paved road which has two parking spots one in the start and othe at the end of the road. The sheep area has now changed into camping field and also installed with solar panels near the second parking lot. The barn has now smaller and shifted it's location near vegetables field. A farm shop has also been opened in the fruit trees area. While the farmhouse and chicken area locations have not been modified.

The previously barn area has now been modified to holiday cottages.

Overall the farm has transformed itno a modern camping and holiday space for people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main change from a working farm to a site with visitor facilities, and your overview captures this in “transformed into a modern camping and holiday space.” Several key comparisons are also included: the former sheep area becomes a camping field, a shop is added near the fruit trees, and holiday cottages appear. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear. The barn is not simply “smaller and shifted”; it is relocated to the south-west of the farmhouse, while the former barn area becomes holiday cottages. The farmhouse and chicken enclosure remain in place, but the three crop areas also largely remain, a useful continuity you could state explicitly. Develop the changes more precisely and avoid describing the road as paved, which the plan does not establish.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a description of the earlier layout, a paragraph on current changes, and a concluding overview. The chronological organisation helps the reader follow the comparison. However, progression within the final body paragraph is uneven: the barn’s relocation is mentioned before the former barn area’s conversion to cottages, which makes the relationship between these changes less clear. The linking word “While” also begins a fragment rather than connecting two complete ideas, and “also” is repeated in close succession. Grouping the changes by location or by what was retained versus added would make the comparison easier to follow, while clearer referencing would prevent ambiguity around “the barn area.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a farm plan, including “track,” “river,” “parking spots,” “camping field,” and “holiday cottages.” Phrases such as “transformed into” also communicate the broad scale of change effectively. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for this task: “main highway” is less suitable than “main road,” “rough track” is not supported by the plan, and “growing chickens” does not accurately describe the enclosure. There are also spelling errors, including “Beechfood,” “itno,” and “othe,” alongside awkward combinations such as “installed with solar panels.” More precise map vocabulary and careful proofreading would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including the relative clause in “one simple track that was connecting to the main highway” and the contrast introduced by “While.” Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “from 1950s” needs an article, “sheeps” uses an incorrect plural form, and “the upper part was used” does not clearly match the plural sheep area. “While the farmhouse and chicken area locations have not been modified” is a dependent clause without a main clause, and “shifted it's location” has incorrect possessive punctuation. Aim for complete sentences and check articles, agreement, tense, and possessives.

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

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