Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-04

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)

Overall, the given plans differentiate the location of a farm in two different eras. The plans illustrate that the area is more crowded now as compared to the site in 1950.

The most significant change is from track to road. The site has become more populated now in contrast to the location in 1950. The trees, camping field, parking area and solar panels are newly eatablished which may increase the environmental hazards.

In 1950 the land was spared for sheep which is now occupied by parking area and solar panels etc. Recently farm shop is also formed. The location of barn is also shiftedand holiday cottages are made right there.

To conclude this, various advancements are made today as compared to the site in 1950 which shows the importance of site as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad change from a farm with tracks to a more developed site, and mention several new features, including a farm shop, camping field, parking and solar panels. However, the summary is only partial: it does not explain the main changes in the site’s layout, such as the retention of the fruit, soft-fruit and vegetable areas, or the addition of holiday cottages and new roads in relation to the existing farmhouse and chicken enclosure. The claim that the barn has shifted and that cottages were made “right there” is unclear and does not accurately describe their positions. The environmental-hazard comment is speculative rather than a map feature. The response is also 17 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail available. A fuller overview and accurate location comparisons would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an opening overview, a few sentences about changes, and a concluding sentence. This gives the reader a general sense of the topic. However, the progression is limited, with ideas presented as a short list rather than grouped into clear comparisons between the two plans. For example, the paragraph moves from new facilities to sheep land and then to the barn and cottages without explaining how these features relate spatially. Connectors such as “now,” “in contrast,” and “To conclude” provide some linking, but the conclusion largely repeats the opening claim instead of synthesising the main changes. Organise the body by areas or by retained and newly added features, and use clear references to locations to make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing map changes, including “occupied,” “newly established,” “farm shop,” and “holiday cottages.” This shows an attempt to use language beyond basic labels. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural: “differentiate the location” does not clearly express that the plans show changes over time, and “the land was spared for sheep” is not an appropriate collocation. “More populated” also suggests people living there, whereas the map mainly shows added facilities and land uses. There are noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “eatablished” and “shiftedand,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise map vocabulary such as “converted,” “retained,” “located,” and “replaced,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce several understandable simple sentences and attempt some more complex comparisons, as in “The plans illustrate that the area is more crowded now as compared to the site in 1950.” The main message is generally recoverable, but the range of sentence structures is narrow, and some constructions are awkward or incomplete. For instance, “The most significant change is from track to road” lacks clear articles and does not specify what changed, while “The location of barn is also shiftedand holiday cottages are made right there” combines ideas without a clear grammatical relationship. The final sentence, “To conclude this,” is also an awkward construction. Practise forming accurate past-to-present comparisons, using articles with singular countable nouns, and separating distinct changes into complete sentences.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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