Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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 given map compares the transformation of a farm site from year 1950 to how it looks today.

Overall, there was a significant development over the period of time majorly in upper side, while many things are added to make the farm site more convenient to visitors.

In 1950, the area of beechwood farm was divided through track, on upper side there was space for a sheep. We can see that the other side, is for a farming purpose the river area was categorised in three farms fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables. At the end of farm, there is barn for animals just beside farmhouse and near river it was place for chickens.

Today, Beechwood farm looks completely different as is redeveloped, as we see upper side area there is a parking just beside a road, the camping field with trees and in the corner solar panel was placed just below that the another parking lot. The track is now replaced with the road, below that in farm the farm is added, the place previously designated for barn currently there is holiday cottages and the barn is shifted beside to farm.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a clear overview that the farm has undergone significant development and identify several relevant changes, including the addition of visitor facilities and the replacement of the track with a road. You also describe the original sheep area and the three agricultural plots. However, some important details are missing or unclear: the farm shop is not mentioned, and the current locations of the fruit, soft-fruit and vegetable areas are not compared with their earlier positions. There is also a factual confusion in saying the barn was where the holiday cottages are now; the cottages occupy the area around the former farmhouse, while the barn remains nearby but has shifted. More precise coverage of these changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of the two time periods. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. Some linking and referencing, however, are unclear or mechanical. For example, “the other side” does not clearly identify which part of the map you mean, and “below that” is used for more than one location, making the spatial relationships difficult to follow. The final paragraph also moves quickly between parking, camping, solar panels, cottages and the barn without a clear sequence. Organise each period by location—such as the western fields, northern visitor facilities, and eastern buildings—and use precise references to connect the comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “river,” “track,” “parking,” “camping field,” and “holiday cottages,” and you attempt to describe change with phrases such as “transformation” and “redeveloped.” However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise or repetitive, which limits clarity. “The river area was categorised in three farms” does not accurately express that the land was divided into plots, while “the farm is added” is unclear. “Convenient to visitors” is also an unnatural phrase in this context. Aim for more precise terms such as “plots,” “facilities,” “located,” and “converted,” and avoid repeating general expressions like “upper side” when compass directions can identify locations more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including an overview and clauses introduced by “while” and “as.” The main changes are usually understandable, but some grammatical errors make relationships between ideas less clear. For example, “there was space for a sheep” has an awkward article and number choice, and “the place previously designated for barn currently there is holiday cottages” lacks a clear verb structure and has problems with articles and agreement. In “as we see upper side area,” the clause is not formed correctly. Practise building accurate comparison sentences with a clear subject and verb, for example, “The former sheep field now contains a camping area and solar panels.” Check articles, singular/plural agreement, and punctuation when joining clauses.

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