Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-15

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 5.0)

The plans given show the current state of Southwest airport and how it will look after development next year. This is about check-in process until the exit doors.

The airport was just a normal building where there were eight gateway to get in. As soon as, you enter through the entry door, you will see a cafe where you can find a very good coffee. around airport. And after that, you find a check-in next to cafe where your all the documents are checked.

After the renovation of airport, it looks quite organized and developed but confused at the same time. It is because there were eighteen gates from where people can get in. There are now a place where you can drop your bag in the bagging area and can also hire a car. In addition to this, they add a sky train and ATM to provide services to people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the airport plans but fails to provide a clear overview or a structured comparison of the main features. The description is overly narrative and subjective, using informal language like 'confused at the same time' rather than objective reporting. Key features such as the relocation of the check-in area, the addition of the sky train, and the expansion of gates are mentioned, but the lack of a clear summary of the overall transformation limits the score. The response focuses more on a personal walkthrough than a professional summary of the visual data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The transition between the current state and the future state is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In addition to this' and 'After the renovation', but they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when describing the layout changes. The overall progression of information is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two maps effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often imprecise. Phrases like 'normal building' and 'very good coffee' are too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'bagging area' instead of 'baggage drop-off' and 'eight gateway' (should be plural 'gateways'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the technical aspects of the map, relying on basic, repetitive language that does not demonstrate the ability to use less common lexical items accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'where there were eight gateway' (subject-verb agreement and pluralization error), 'your all the documents' (incorrect word order), and 'they add a sky train' (incorrect tense usage for a future plan). The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. The frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over basic grammatical structures.

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.