Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-14
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 rendered maps illustrates the information about the South west airport at the present time and how it will after redevelopment next year.
As per the blue print, at the present time in complete north there is a walkway but in the future walkway will be transformed into sky train and the gate area will also increase. In future new shops will be built at the vacant place in north west. Locations of security passport control and passport control customs which are in south west will remain untouched in future.
delving deeper into the given details, additional facilities will be added for the arrivals such as cafe , ATM and car hire and there will be a slight changes in the locations of check-in and bag drop for departures. The location of departure and arrival will be remain at the same place after redevelopment.
Overall, southwest airport will undergo through complete transformation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the airport redevelopment, such as the addition of the sky train, new shops, and arrival facilities. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention that some areas remain 'untouched', the report lacks a clear overview of the scale of change. The summary is present but could be more analytical by grouping features more effectively. You have identified the key changes, but the lack of precise detail regarding the layout (e.g., the specific relocation of check-in desks) limits the development of your ideas. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive comparison between the 'now' and 'future' states, focusing on the most significant structural modifications.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices like 'As per the blue print' and 'delving deeper into', though these transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the north to the south of the airport. However, the referencing is occasionally weak; for example, 'the vacant place in north west' could be more clearly linked to the existing map features. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more fluid and less repetitive.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the changes clearly. You use terms like 'redevelopment', 'transformed', and 'facilities' correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some awkward collocations, such as 'in complete north' (should be 'in the far north') and 'undergo through complete transformation' (the word 'through' is redundant here). To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to maps and spatial descriptions, such as 'situated in the northern sector', 'adjacent to', or 'undergoing a significant expansion'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and adverbs will also help improve the sophistication of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'The rendered maps illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error), 'how it will after redevelopment' (missing verb), and 'location of departure and arrival will be remain' (incorrect verb form). These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, but they do indicate a lack of control over more complex structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your verb phrases are complete. Proofreading for small omissions like articles ('the') and auxiliary verbs will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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