Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-04

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 plans illustrate the current layout of the southwest air port and how it will look after redevelopment next year.

Overall, the airport become much larger and more modern. The number of gates will increase from 8 to 18. New facilities such as shops, a bag drop area, ATM, car hire service and the sky train will also added. However, the security passport control area and passport control custom area will stay in the same place.

at present passengers enter the airport and pass through the security. The departures section is on the left side while arrival section is on the right side. A cafe is available near the gates, but there are no other shops or services.

After the redevelopment, the airport become much bigger. The walk area will be extended. Many new facilities also be introduced. A bag drop area will be added in the departures section. There are also shops after the security control area. In the arrivals section ATM and the car hire service also be added. And give one more cafe near ATM.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the airport plans, including the increase in gates and the addition of new facilities. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical comparison between the two stages. While you identified the key changes, the report would benefit from grouping information more logically (e.g., grouping all departures changes together) rather than listing them. The overview is present but could be more detailed regarding the spatial changes. To improve, ensure you highlight the most significant transformations rather than just listing every individual addition.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, and some sentences feel like a list of facts rather than a cohesive report. For example, the transition between the current state and the future state could be smoother with better linking words. Paragraphing is present, but the internal flow within paragraphs needs more variety to achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. You rely on basic verbs like 'become' and 'added' repeatedly. There is also a minor error in 'southwest air port' (should be one word) and 'passport control custom area' (which is slightly redundant). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning or structural changes, such as 'expanded', 'integrated', or 'reconfigured'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors that affect the fluency of the text. Specifically, there are issues with verb tenses and missing auxiliary verbs, such as 'the airport become' (should be 'will become') and 'services also be added' (should be 'will also be added'). Additionally, some sentences lack proper articles or subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic sentence construction prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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