Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-11

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 5.0)

The given plans show the site of Beachwood Farm in 1950 and today.

Overall, the most significant changes occurred in sheep area which vanished today.

Whilst in 1950 the only way is tracks, today it improved to become roads. The large area of sheep were divided into two section today; the left hand side became a camping field, while the right hand side became solar panels area. Parking areas were also added to both section, one for the camping field near the highway, and one for the solar panels area near the road.

The barn accross the sheep area in 1950 became holiday cottages, which accross from solar panels

- barn to holiday cottages

- barn move to near Chicken

- farm shop in fruit trees area

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main overall change—that the sheep area disappeared—and mention several new uses, including camping, solar panels, parking and holiday cottages. However, the response only partially summarises the plans: it gives little account of the retained fruit trees, soft-fruit and vegetable plots, farmhouse, chickens or the farm shop, and the comparison of the barn is unclear and partly inaccurate. The barn did not become holiday cottages; the cottages occupy the area north of the farmhouse, while the barn remains in a different position. The final dash-point notes are not developed into a summary. The response is also 23 words below the required minimum, leaving important features under-reported. To improve, describe the major changes and what stayed the same in complete, accurate comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an introduction and overview are followed by a paragraph about changes to access and the former sheep area. This gives the reader some direction. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph stops mid-comparison, and the three dash-point notes are not integrated into the report. Connections such as “Whilst” and “while” are attempted, but the relationship between the locations is not always clear; for example, “which accross from solar panels” is incomplete. The repeated references to “area” and “section” also make the description less precise. Use separate, complete paragraphs for the overview and key changes, and connect each comparison clearly with location language such as “to the east of” or “in the former sheep field.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant map vocabulary, including “tracks,” “roads,” “camping field,” “solar panels” and “holiday cottages,” so the reader can identify several features. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or awkward, such as “sheep area,” “parking areas … to both section” and “the only way is tracks.” Spelling errors in “accross” and inconsistent naming (“Beachwood” rather than “Beechwood”) also reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise terms for land use and position, and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the former sheep field as being “converted into” new uses, and refer to the access routes as “tracks” or “roads” according to the plans.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a few different sentence forms, including a contrast with “Whilst” and a clause with “while,” but the range is limited and errors are frequent enough to make some relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “the only way is tracks,” where the tense and singular/plural structure are faulty, and “The large area of sheep were divided,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect. “The barn … became holiday cottages, which accross from solar panels” is also an incomplete sentence, and the dash-point notes do not form grammatical sentences. Use past tense for the 1950 plan and present tense for today, check agreement and articles, and make sure each sentence has a complete main clause.

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

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