Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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)

This two maps illustrate the main changes of a Beechwood Farm since 1950 to today. In general, it seem that the farm become more modernized and bigger than before. Firstly there is a track which is linked with the main road in 1950 and today there is a road. in the left side of track there are sheep and nothing else but now there there is a parking linked with the main road and farm road. in the middle there is a camping feild and there a solar panels plant in the upper corner and one more parking which is linked with the farm road. In the right side of the farm track there are some fruit trees and soft fruits along with this there are vegetables and chickens. There is some area of farmhouse and barn. Now there are some changings. A holiday cottages is built where the barn used to be and barn is linked with the end of road.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from a working farm to a more developed site, and mention several relevant features, including the new road, parking, camping field, solar panels and holiday cottages. However, the overview that the farm is “more modernized and bigger” is vague and does not clearly summarise the main changes. Some locations and comparisons are also inaccurate or unclear: the sheep were north of the track, not simply “in the left side,” and the cottages replaced the area around the former barn rather than the barn itself. Important changes, such as the farm shop and the continued presence of the farmhouse and chickens, are not clearly reported. A more precise overview and clearer before-and-after comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from general change to features around the road and then to the eastern part of the farm. This gives the reader some sense of how the site is organised. However, the information is presented as one continuous block, with no clear paragraphing to separate the overview from the detailed comparisons. Connectors such as “Firstly,” “in the middle,” and “Now” are used, but the progression between locations is sometimes difficult to follow; for example, “In the right side” does not make clear which map area is being described. Group the changes by location or by old and new use, and use clearer references such as “north of the road” and “in the eastern section.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing maps, including “linked with,” “parking,” “solar panels,” “holiday cottages,” and “farmhouse.” This is enough to communicate several key features, but the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or repetitive. “Some area of farmhouse and barn” does not clearly describe the buildings, while “changings” is not the appropriate noun for developments. There are also spelling and word-form errors, including “feild” and “modernized.” Aim for more precise map language and vary repeated terms such as “there is.” For example, describe features as being “located,” “replaced,” or “converted,” where those relationships match the plan.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies mainly on simple statements and attempts a few longer structures, but errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships unclear. The opening has subject–verb disagreement and an incorrect time construction: “This two maps illustrate … since 1950 to today.” Other examples include “it seem,” “the farm become,” and “A holiday cottages is built.” Articles, plurals and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “there a solar panels plant” and the run-on sequence beginning “in the left side of track.” Use the present perfect for changes over time, such as “has become,” and check agreement and articles in each sentence. Clearer punctuation would also help separate the map features.

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