Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The illustration compares the differences between two farm sites from 1950 and today.

Overall, the illustration showed keys differences in space. Unlike in the 1950 plan, the recent shows many structures erected in the previous open spaces.

In the first plan, fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, chickens and farmhouse maintained their locations. No change in size or location was made. The river still maintained its course over the years.

The track was changed into road and the barn which was previously behind the track at the far right end was moved to the junction where two roads met adjacent to the river.

In the 1950 plan, there was no holliday cottage. In recent plan, the holliday cottage was made to sit were the barn was in the previous plan.

The large space made for the sheep in 1950 was later divided onto a parking space, a camping field, and a space where solar panels were mounted.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main transformation from a sheep area to several new uses, and you note that the track became a road and that the river and several agricultural features remained. The overview also recognises that more structures occupy previously open land, which captures an important overall change. This is a relevant account, but some comparisons are incomplete or inaccurate: the farmhouse and chickens remain in broadly similar positions, while the barn has been relocated rather than simply described as “behind the track.” The new farm shop and the second parking area are omitted, and the claim that the cottages occupy the barn’s former position is not precise. To strengthen the response further, report the key additions and relocations more accurately and develop the overview with the contrast between retained farming areas and new visitor facilities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing retained features and changes. Its sequence is generally easy to follow, and phrases such as “In the first plan” and “In recent plan” help orient the reader to the two time periods. However, the progression is somewhat list-like, and some references are unclear. For example, “the barn which was previously behind the track at the far right end” does not clearly locate the building, while “the previous plan” is repeated without always making the comparison precise. Grouping the changes by area or by retained versus newly introduced features would create a more deliberate progression. Use linking expressions selectively to show contrasts and additions, rather than relying mainly on time labels.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing maps, including “river,” “junction,” “camping field,” “parking space,” and “solar panels,” so the main information is usually understandable. There is also some attempt at more formal phrasing, such as “maintained its course.” However, several word choices and collocations are unnatural or imprecise: “compares the differences” is redundant, “keys differences in space” is unclear, and “structures erected in the previous open spaces” is awkward. “Holliday” is misspelled twice, and “divided onto” does not express the intended change naturally. Aim for precise map language such as “remained in the same position,” “was converted into,” and “was replaced by.” Check spelling and choose collocations that describe locations and changes accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mixture of simple statements and more complex forms, including the contrastive opening “Unlike in the 1950 plan” and the relative clause “the barn which was previously…”. Most sentences communicate the intended comparison, and errors do not generally prevent understanding. Some grammatical choices are nevertheless inaccurate or awkward. In “the recent shows,” the noun needs to be expressed clearly and the verb form adjusted; “the farmhouse maintained their locations” has a subject–verb agreement problem; and “was made to sit were the barn was” contains errors in both the clause and its construction. Tense use also shifts between past and present when describing the plans. Practise consistent past-tense descriptions of the 1950 layout and present-tense descriptions of today, while checking agreement and clause formation.

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