Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 given images demonstrates the site of a farm in 1950 and now. It displays the changed occured over time during this time frame.

In 1950, there was a peaceful location with limited resources, less complicated lifestyle and vast land that was free to use in any productive manner. A road can be seen in the upper left corner, crossing below is the river pathway. Along with the upper right corner is the sheep region where sheeps were relocated. The farm house, barn and the chickens area is parted away from sheep region via a partition called track. This track separates fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables sites from the sheep region as on the one side of it is track area and on the other hand, its bounded by the river pathway. Overall, its a simplified picture of a productive and organized form.

Whereas, today this farm has gone through major transition, as track is replaced by a road. Solar panels are added in the upper right corner where earlier sheep region was located, along with camping field and the parking area. Holiday cottages are a new addition to the lower right corner and the farm shop is also newly built in the 2000's image. Overall, its quite same but a little bit more crowded and congested as compared to the 1950's image, depicting the hustle bustle of daily life and displaying changes that occur over the time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two time periods and mention several genuine changes, including the addition of solar panels, a camping field, parking, holiday cottages and a farm shop. However, the account only partially reports the plans: it does not clearly summarise the main overall transformation, and some spatial details are inaccurate or vague. For example, the sheep area is described as being in the “upper right corner,” although it is north of the track, while the farmhouse, barn and chicken enclosure are not separated from the sheep by a partition. The claim that the site is “quite same” also overlooks that the track became a road and new visitor facilities were added. Focus on the key changes and describe locations precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from the 1950 plan to the present, and paragraphing helps distinguish the two periods. Time markers such as “In 1950” and “Whereas, today” also make the comparison clear at a basic level. However, progression within the paragraphs is uneven: the first paragraph mixes general impressions with several location details, while the final paragraph lists additions without grouping them by area or explaining how they relate to one another. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “Overall” and the opening “Whereas.” Organise the report around the main areas or types of change, and use clearer references such as “in contrast” or “in the eastern part of the site” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “river pathway,” “upper right corner,” “solar panels,” “camping field” and “holiday cottages.” This gives the reader a basic understanding of the changes. However, the range is limited by repeated general wording such as “area,” “image” and “changes,” and several expressions are imprecise or unsuitable for an objective map report. “Sheeps were relocated” and “hustle bustle of daily life” do not accurately describe what the plans show; the latter adds an unsupported impression. Phrases such as “productive manner” and “simplified picture of a productive and organized form” are also awkward in this context. Use precise terms for features and locations, and avoid speculative or conversational language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including clauses introduced by “where” and “as,” but control is inconsistent and errors sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. For example, “The given images demonstrates” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “the changed occured” has an incorrect verb form. In “Along with the upper right corner is the sheep region,” the sentence structure is faulty, while “the farm house, barn and the chickens area is parted away” contains agreement and construction problems. There are also errors in plural forms and articles, as in “sheeps” and “the farm shop is also newly built in the 2000’s image.” Aim for shorter, controlled sentences first, then add complex clauses only when their grammar is secure.

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