Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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 plan illustrates the beechwood farm in 1950 and how it is developed in the present time.

In 1950, there was a track which separated the farm into four sections. There was a river flowing in each sections. One section had fruit trees, another one soft trees and third section had vegetables. Fourth section is quite larger than the other sections which consisted of barn, farmhouse and chicken. Sheep is located on the opposite side of river.

In the present time, farm has changed a lot and instead of track, there is a road which divided in different parts. In the opposite side of river, there are two parking site and camping field. There are solar panels along parking. In the opposite direction of parking which is close to solar panels, there is a holiday cottage. Fruit trees are now with farm shop. Another development is visible barn is adjunct with road. Barn is near to chickens.

There are new editions which were absence in the previous plan like farm shop, parking lot and holiday cottage. Moreover, solar panels are not in the old plan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two time periods and mention several relevant changes, including the farm shop, parking, holiday cottages and solar panels. However, the account is only partially complete and some locations or relationships are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the river does not flow through each of four sections, and the sheep area is not described as being across the river. The present-day description also misplaces the cottages in relation to the parking and solar panels, and says the barn is near the chickens, although the farmhouse lies between them. A clear overview of the main transformation—new visitor facilities and roads, alongside retained agricultural areas and buildings—would make the response more complete. Select key changes and describe their positions accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: it describes the 1950 plan, then the present layout, and ends by listing new features. This sequencing helps the reader follow the comparison. Paragraphing is also appropriate. However, some links between ideas are mechanical or unclear, particularly repeated uses of “There was” and “There are,” and phrases such as “In the opposite direction of parking” do not make the spatial relationship easy to understand. The final paragraph repeats features already mentioned rather than developing the comparison. Use clearer location-based links, such as “to the east of” or “south of,” and group related changes together. This would improve cohesion and make the progression more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary, including “track,” “river,” “fruit trees,” “solar panels” and “holiday cottage,” and you attempt to describe change with phrases such as “has changed a lot.” The range is sufficient to communicate the general subject, but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise. “Soft trees” should be “soft fruits,” “chicken” should refer to the “chicken enclosure” or “chickens,” and “new editions” is not the right expression for additions to a site. “Adjunct with road” is also an unsuitable way to describe the barn’s position. Build a more precise set of terms for map locations and changes, and check that each noun matches the labels in the plan.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, for example, “There was a track which separated the farm into four sections.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include “in each sections,” “Fourth section is quite larger,” and “farm has changed,” where articles, number agreement or comparative forms are needed. Tense and sentence construction also need attention in “there is a road which divided in different parts.” Practise accurate article use and singular/plural agreement, and form comparisons with “larger than.” A wider range of sentence patterns is attempted, but more consistent control of these basic forms would make the description clearer.

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