Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-12

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)

Both maps illustrates how the airport will look after reconstruction of an airport. This process will contain multiple changes in airport before and after.

To start, now the airport had 8 gates for upcoming and outgoing people. In the departure part, It had a check-in point and also had a cafe area for refreshment. It had a security passport control area to passports. Secondly, it had a passport control customs where passengers arrive.

After redevelopment, the number gates has increased from 8 to 18. In this area, sky train point also add their for passenger's help. Next, a shop will be added on the west of free space. Next, security passport control remains same. The check-in point shuffles to right side in this area and add a bag drop point on left side. Then, cafe shift near to the departure and one departure gate is added more. Moreover, in the east part, passport control customs remains same. Next, a cafe and a atm is added there. In the east below corner, car hire point is added and 1 additionally arrival gate is added.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main change—the increase from 8 to 18 gates—and report several additions, including the sky train, shops, bag drop, ATM and car hire. You also compare some facilities that remain, such as passport control and customs. However, the overview is not clearly stated, and some details are inaccurate or unclear: the café in departures is described as shifting, although the new café is in the bottom-left corner, while the original café is not clearly accounted for. The claim that an arrival gate is added is unsupported by the plan. To strengthen the response, summarise the major structural changes first, then describe the terminal and concourse changes accurately and distinguish additions from relocations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows a generally understandable order: it describes the current airport and then the redevelopment, which helps the reader compare the two plans. Paragraphing also separates these stages. However, the sequence within the second paragraph becomes mechanical, with repeated transitions such as “Next” and “Moreover,” and several details are presented as a list rather than grouped by location or function. References such as “in this area” and “there” are not always clear, so the reader may need to infer which part of the airport is meant. Grouping changes into the concourse, departures and arrivals would make the progression clearer, while more precise location references would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant airport vocabulary, including “gates,” “check-in,” “passport control,” “customs,” “sky train” and “car hire,” so the topic is generally clear. There is also some attempt to describe change with phrases such as “increased from” and “remains same.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or vague, including “upcoming and outgoing people,” “point shuffles,” and “added their for passenger's help.” Repetition of “area,” “point” and “added” also limits precision. Use standard map-description language such as “passengers,” “is relocated,” “is introduced” and “is situated,” and choose exact directional terms to describe where facilities are placed.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can usually follow the intended comparison. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, with errors in agreement, tense, articles and sentence construction. For example, “Both maps illustrates” should use a plural verb, while “the number gates has increased” needs an article and a plural construction. The opening also shifts awkwardly between “will look” and “will contain,” and “a cafe and a atm is added” has agreement and article errors. Most sentences rely on basic patterns, and attempts to combine ideas are not always controlled. Practise accurate present and future forms for map descriptions, and check subject–verb agreement and articles.

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.