Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

SOUTHWEST AIRPORT

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagrams illustrate the present layout of an airport and projected modifications for the upcoming year.

Overall, the major changes that will be developed is the more gates as well as departure and arrivals gates. While, there is also changes that is planned such as ATM, Car hire and Bag drop in the airport.

In the present layout, there is total eight gates in the airport and after that walkway started. While the departure and arrivals gate is only one. Although, inside the airport on the departure side there is check-in counter and a cafe at the corner.

However, In the future map multiple service have be planned to developed, one is the ATM service which will be place next to cafe in the right side of the airport. Car hire will be developed after the ATM in the corner. One of the major changes that will developed is the number of gates that extended up to 18 from 8, and also increase the gates departures and arrivals. Another, is the Sky train that is planned after entering the gates and it starts in the center line of airport.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall change: the airport expands from eight gates to eighteen, with additional facilities such as an ATM, car hire and a sky train. You also describe some existing features, including check-in and a café. However, several important changes are omitted or unclear. The new Y-shaped concourse and its two arms are not explained, and the locations of shops, the relocated check-in counter and the new bag-drop area are not reported. The statement about “departure and arrivals gates” increasing is inaccurate: the number of gates rises, but the departure and arrival areas remain in the terminal. Develop the comparison by describing these changes and their positions more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to present and future layouts. This gives the reader a basic progression, and phrases such as “In the present layout” and “However, In the future map” signal the shift between stages. Cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear, though. Repeated uses of “While” and “Another” do not always connect the ideas smoothly, and “after that walkway started” is difficult to interpret. The overview also combines several changes in a way that obscures their relationship. Organise the body into clearer comparisons—for example, terminal facilities first, then the concourse and transport—and use precise references to locations so readers can follow the plan.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing an airport, including “check-in counter,” “ATM,” “Car hire,” “gates” and “Sky train,” so the main subject is generally clear. There is some repetition of broad terms such as “changes,” “developed” and “airport,” and several word combinations are imprecise, including “departure and arrivals gates” and “the gates departures and arrivals.” These choices make some details harder to understand. Use more specific map language and collocations, such as “facilities will be added,” “the concourse will be extended,” and “the check-in counter will be relocated.” Also distinguish between terminal areas and boarding gates when describing the layout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a comparison with “While” and a relative clause in “the ATM service which will be place next to cafe.” However, some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction reduce accuracy. For example, “the major changes … is” should use a plural verb, while “will be place” needs a past participle. “Multiple service have be planned to developed” contains several form errors, and “Although” introduces an incomplete clause. There are also inconsistent capitalisation and punctuation choices. Practise forming future passive structures accurately—such as “will be added” or “will be relocated”—and check each sentence for a complete main clause and consistent subject–verb agreement.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.