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 map illustrates the changes that took place in the farm in 1950 and how it currently look like.

Overall, the farm has undergone to a significant change over the period as several new sections were added at the top right side of road while the area on the other side remained unchanged except the little change.

In particular, the area reserved for sheep was replaced with several parking areas , also the camping field was added. Furthermore, area at the upper left corner, was constructed for solar panels in order to provide energy.

However, the track was replaced with road and a farm shop was added beside it while on the opposite side, a holiday cartage area was developed. Although, other areas remained unchanged except the barn section which therefore relocated from east side area toward the centre of vegetables and chicken section.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the two time periods and give an overview that the farm changed substantially, mentioning new facilities such as camping, solar panels, parking and holiday accommodation. Several comparisons are relevant, and the main agricultural areas are noted as largely retained. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the sheep area was not simply replaced by several parking areas, and the barn was relocated to the south-west of the farmhouse, rather than towards the centre of the vegetables and chicken section. The claim that the opposite side remained unchanged also overlooks changes to the internal tracks and buildings. The response is 144 words, below the required 150. Develop the overview and describe the main changes more precisely, especially the new road layout and the relocation of the barn.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and further details introduced with phrases such as “In particular” and “However.” This helps the reader follow the broad comparison. However, progression between features is not always clear. The paragraph beginning “In particular” moves from parking to camping and then solar panels without a clear spatial grouping, while the final sentence combines the road, shop, cottages and barn in a way that makes their relationships difficult to follow. “Although” is also used as a sentence opener without a completed contrast. Organise the details by area—for example, the western fields first, then the northern and eastern developments—and use linking expressions only where they clarify the relationship between points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of map-related vocabulary, including “replaced,” “added,” “remained unchanged,” “solar panels” and “holiday” accommodation, so the main changes can generally be understood. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise, however. “Undergone to a significant change” is not a natural construction; use “undergone significant changes.” “Holiday cartage area” appears to mean “holiday cottages,” and “the little change” does not clearly describe the limited alterations. “Sections” and “area” are repeated where more specific terms such as “facilities,” “fields” or “buildings” would improve precision. Aim to use the labels shown on the plan and choose vocabulary that describes each feature accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is an attempt to use both simple statements and more complex structures, including “while” and “Although,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. Some grammatical errors remain. In the opening, “how it currently look like” should be “what it looks like today” or “how it looks today”; “the farm has undergone to a significant change” also needs a different verb pattern. Articles and sentence construction are inconsistent in “Furthermore, area at the upper left corner, was constructed,” and the final sentence beginning “Although” is not a complete, well-formed contrast. Check subject–verb agreement, article use and punctuation around introductory phrases. Building shorter, accurate sentences before combining related details would help you retain variety while improving control.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.