Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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 illustrate the design of Beechwood Farm in 1950 and compares it with today's outlook.

Overall, there is a significant change in sheep area, as lots of features have added in today's planning. Another change is clearly seen in besides the triangular road, where a barn is added which was beside a farmhouse in 1950. Another eye-catching feature is a farmhouse along with fruit trees area.

In 1950, there was a huge space for sheep farm which is converted into two parking zones, camping field and solar panels in the top of northeast area. The barn area occupied more space in 1950 compared to today. The location of farmhouse remains same. In 1950, there was not seen any farm shop besides fruit trees which is added in today's modernized design. The agriculture areas of soft fruits and vegetables are exactly same as before. Another important feature is the track is improved to road.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify several important changes, including the conversion of the former sheep area to new uses and the track becoming a road, and you note that the farmhouse remains in the same location. However, the overview is unclear and does not summarise the main pattern of change precisely. Some details are inaccurate: the barn was not simply “added” in the present plan; it existed in 1950 but has moved from north of the farmhouse to the south-west. The claim that the agricultural areas are “exactly same” overlooks their changed arrangement and the new farm shop. You also omit key developments such as the holiday cottages. A clearer overview and more accurate comparisons of the buildings and land uses would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing details. This gives the reader a recognisable route through the comparison. However, progression is uneven because the overview includes specific details, while the final paragraph moves between the sheep area, barn, farmhouse, farm shop, fields, and road without a clear spatial or thematic order. Linking phrases such as “Another change” and “Another important feature” are repetitive and do not always clarify how points relate. Some references are also difficult to follow, particularly “besides the triangular road” and “another eye-catching feature.” Grouping changes by location or by land use, and using clearer comparisons between 1950 and today, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing changes, including “converted,” “occupied,” “remains,” and “modernized design.” These choices help communicate the broad comparison, and the reader can generally understand your intended meaning. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural for map description: “today’s outlook,” “sheep farm,” “besides the triangular road,” and “the agriculture areas.” “Eye-catching feature” is also less suitable for a neutral report. Some repetition of “area” and “feature” limits flexibility. Aim for precise location and change vocabulary, such as “north-east of,” “was replaced by,” and “remained unchanged,” while checking that collocations fit the map context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple statements and more complex forms, including “which is converted into…” and “which is added in today’s modernized design.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and tense reduce accuracy. For example, “The maps illustrate … and compares” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “lots of features have added” needs a passive form. “There was not seen any farm shop” is an awkward construction; “There was no farm shop” would be clearer. The sentence “Another eye-catching feature is a farmhouse along with fruit trees area” is also incomplete in meaning. Practise accurate past-to-present comparisons and use straightforward sentence patterns before adding complex clauses.

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