Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-14
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 maps represent the Beechwood farm site in 1950 and how it looks today.
overall, the farm has been equipped with energy plants. New facilities like parkings have been added. In addition, many roads have been constructed around the farm.
In 1950, there was a huge space in the north of the farm dedicated for sheep. Today this space has been divided into two main places, an area for solar panels and a camping field with two parkings been added.
In the southeast of the farm, there was a farmhouse for chickens, and a barn which has been replaces by holiday cottages. In addition, the old tracks around the farm have been transformed into roads to connect farm with the highway.
In conclusion, the farm has b
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the two dates and note several genuine changes, including the addition of solar panels, camping, parking and holiday cottages. However, the response only partially summarises the plans: it omits important retained features such as the fruit, soft-fruit and vegetable areas, and does not clearly describe the farm shop or the changed layout of the roads and buildings. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: the farmhouse was not “for chickens” (the chicken enclosure is separate), and the barn is still shown today, rather than simply being replaced by cottages. The final sentence is unfinished, and the response is 23 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Develop a fuller overview and compare the main areas systematically.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing changes in different parts of the site. This gives the reader a basic route through the comparison, and phrases such as “In addition” help connect related points. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the paragraph beginning “In the southeast” combines the farmhouse, chickens, barn and roads without explaining their positions accurately. The conclusion, “In conclusion, the farm has b”, is incomplete and interrupts the ending. Use one paragraph for the northern and agricultural areas and another for the eastern buildings and access, with clear location references and a complete final summary.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing maps, including “dedicated,” “facilities,” “divided” and “transformed,” and the reader can understand the general idea of development. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for this task. “Energy plants” does not accurately describe the solar panels, “parkings” is not the usual form for parking areas, and “highway” is not the label shown for the main road. “A huge space” is also informal and vague. Aim for precise map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “solar panels,” “parking areas,” “main road” and “open area.” Check word forms and spelling, including “replaced,” to make the description more accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including “Today this space has been divided into two main places” and a sentence beginning “In addition.” Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but errors in verb forms and sentence construction reduce accuracy. For example, “two parkings been added” needs a finite verb, such as “two parking areas have been added,” while “the barn which has been replaces” has an incorrect participle and an unclear relative clause. “In the southeast … there was a farmhouse for chickens” also creates an unclear grammatical relationship between the buildings. The unfinished final sentence is another problem. Practise complete clauses, accurate past-to-present comparisons and consistent tense choices.
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