Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Two plans illustrates the site of a farm in 1950 and the same today.

Overall, today's plan of the site went significant variations over the period. Whereas, The plan of 1950 represented relatively same with elementary approaches.

On the one hand, plan of today's site contains advance and modern infrastructure. It depicts parking area, solar panels and camping field in the north, another parking and holiday cottages in east, the farmhouse for chicken in south-east, soft fruits and vegetable farm in the center and fruits trees in the north-west direction. A farm shop can be seen in the today's plan. On the other hand, plan of 1950 depicts few same features of today's plan of site. By comparison, it has similarities such as the positions of fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables farm, farm house for barn and chickens, overall area and the road. It contained simple and elementary corners. Consequently, modernism and technology are the main difference between today's and 1950's plan of the farm site.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the two plans and give a broad overview that the site has become more modern, then compare several features, including the fruit trees, soft fruits, vegetables, farmhouse and chickens. These are relevant observations and show that you have addressed the main purpose of the task. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the farmhouse is not “for chicken,” and the barn and farmhouse are separate features rather than “farm house for barn.” The 1950 plan has tracks, while the current plan has roads, so describing the road as a similarity needs qualification. The overview would be stronger if it clearly stated the main changes, such as the addition of visitor facilities and the relocation or replacement of some buildings, with more precise comparisons of their positions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a comparison of the present plan with 1950. The contrast markers “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “By comparison” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the progression within the main paragraph is not always clear, and several features are listed without a consistent route through the site. The reference “the farmhouse for chicken in south-east” is difficult to interpret, while “It contained simple and elementary corners” does not clearly connect to the map information. The repeated contrast framing also feels mechanical. Organise details by location or by what has changed and remained, and use clearer references so each sentence follows naturally from the previous one.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “parking area,” “solar panels,” “camping field,” “holiday cottages,” and “farm shop,” which helps communicate the site’s newer facilities. There is also an attempt to use more formal language, such as “variations” and “infrastructure.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural in context: “elementary approaches” and “simple and elementary corners” do not describe the plan clearly, and “farmhouse for chicken” mislabels the relationship between the buildings. “Fruits trees” is also an incorrect word form. Aim for precise, conventional terms such as “tracks,” “facilities,” and “fruit trees,” and avoid abstract wording when a direct description of a map feature is clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast structure beginning “Whereas” and a comparison introduced by “By comparison.” However, errors in agreement, articles, sentence boundaries and clause structure are noticeable. For example, “Two plans illustrates” should use a plural verb, and “Whereas, The plan…” is not a complete sentence as written; “whereas” needs to connect two clauses. Capitalisation after the comma is also incorrect. Other examples include “the same today” and “in the today's plan,” where articles and possessives are not controlled. Practise building complete comparison sentences and checking subject–verb agreement, articles and punctuation. More accurate control of these patterns would make your comparisons easier to follow.

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

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