Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-27

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 two plans shows the layout of the site of a farm in 1950 and in present day. Overall, various additions have been made to the farm like farm shop, camping field and many more.

The farm in 1950 consisted of a track which mad a tri-section in the middle and went along the west of the map. It had a main road crossing over the river in the north-west side of the plan. It also had fruit trees, soft fruits, and vegetables between the river and the track. There was a barn on the west side of the plan beside the track. The farmhouse and chickens were located beside it.

The new layout had various additions like a farm shop inside the fruit trees area just beside the main road and the road which was constructed on the track. The sheep area was turned into a caping field and it aslo had a parking area beside the main road.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two time periods and give a basic overview that the farm has gained new facilities. You also report several relevant features, including the original crop plots, the conversion of the sheep area into a camping field, and the addition of a farm shop and parking. However, the comparison is only partial: most of the present-day changes are omitted, including the solar panels, holiday cottages, and the new road layout. Some locations are also inaccurate or unclear: the 1950 track did not run along the west of the map, and the barn was not on the west side beside the track. Develop the overview around the main changes and compare the buildings, access, and land use more systematically.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction and overview are followed by a paragraph about 1950 and one about the present layout. This makes the time comparison easy to recognise, and phrases such as “Overall” and “The new layout” help signal the stages. However, the progression within the paragraphs is limited, and the final paragraph ends after only a few changes, leaving the comparison incomplete. Some references are unclear, particularly “beside it” in the description of the farmhouse and chickens, since the nearest stated feature is the barn. Grouping changes by area or by type—for example, access and facilities, then buildings and fields—would create a fuller, more connected account.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant map vocabulary such as “layout,” “main road,” “river,” “farmhouse,” and “parking area,” which allows the reader to understand the general subject. There is also some attempt to describe change through “turned into” and “constructed.” However, the range is limited, with repeated general wording such as “had” and “various additions,” and some expressions are imprecise: “tri-section” does not clearly describe the track junction, while “inside the fruit trees area” is an awkward location phrase. Spelling slips such as “caping” and “aslo” also reduce accuracy. Use more precise terms for map features and change, and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and some longer structures, including the sentence beginning “The farm in 1950 consisted of a track which…” This gives the response some variety, and the main meaning is generally understandable. However, there are several grammatical errors. The opening should be “The two plans show,” not “shows,” because the subject is plural. In “the track which mad a tri-section,” the verb form is incorrect, and “it aslo had” contains a misspelling that obscures the intended form. The sentence “The farmhouse and chickens were located beside it” also uses an unclear reference. Check subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and sentence references, while practising accurate complex sentences.

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