Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 given figures illustrates the changes that will made to the Southwest Airport to its current layout the next year.

Overall the airport is going to have considerable expansion with increase in the number of gates form 8 gates to 18 gates for departure in redevelopment of the airport next year. Airport now consists of few service like cafe and walkway but after its development it will include all the service like ATM, sky train, car hire, cafe. Airport now does not have any type of shop but the new one will have shops just after passing the security. Airport now consists only a single gate for departure and arrival but next year in it's development it will be expanded to 2 gate for both departure and arrivals. Other things like security, customs and passport control on both the side will be same as now.

In conclusion, it is clear that the southwest airport will be significantly expanded and modernised.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the airport redevelopment, such as the increase in gates and the addition of new facilities. However, the report is somewhat inaccurate regarding the data provided in the prompt. For instance, you mention '18 gates' and '2 gates for both departure and arrivals', which does not align with the visual information provided. Additionally, the description of the current layout is slightly confusing. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference your summary with the provided visual data to ensure complete accuracy. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the specific figures limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. However, the flow of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited, and some sentences feel disjointed. For example, the transition between describing the current airport and the future development could be smoother. Paragraphing is present, but the body paragraph is quite dense and would benefit from being split or structured more logically to separate the different types of changes (e.g., infrastructure vs. facilities). Improving the use of linking words would help the reader follow the progression of changes more easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'modernised', and 'considerable expansion'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'figures illustrates' (should be 'figure illustrates') and 'all the service' (should be 'all the services'). The repetition of 'Airport now' at the start of several sentences makes the writing feel somewhat repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to vary your sentence starters and ensure that your collocations are more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally hinder clarity. Examples include 'changes that will made' (should be 'will be made'), 'form 8 gates' (should be 'from 8 gates'), and 'it's development' (should be 'its development'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often marred by errors in verb tense or subject-verb agreement. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms.

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.