Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20
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 two diagrams illustrate the changes to Southwest Airport and how it will appear next year and there are multiple services added for travelers.
Initially, the airport only has check-in area, cafe, walkways and eight gates, whereas there is an addition of bag drop, ATM, cafe, sky train and several other facilities for visitors.
Firstly, the number of gates will increase from eight to eighteen and a sky train will be installed to provide access to the gates. Moreover, the check-in counter will be replaced by bag drop services for tourists. Meanwhile, the number of departures and arrivals will increase from one to double both sides. In addition, the arrival side is currently empty but cafe will be added in the far right corner. An ATM will be located beside it, and there will addition of car hire service beside ATM. Although, the current cafe will be moved its position near the departure area and in its current location check-in area will be installed. However, there will be an addition of shops near the departure security area.
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, including the expansion of gates and the addition of new facilities like the sky train and car hire. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the most significant changes, which is a requirement for a high band score. The description of the layout changes is somewhat confusing, particularly the explanation of the check-in and cafe relocation. While the key information is present, the lack of a distinct summary paragraph and the slightly muddled description of the spatial changes prevent this from reaching a higher band. The response is accurate in its reporting of the data provided in the diagrams.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into paragraphs, though the structure is somewhat basic. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'Meanwhile', and 'However' are used to link ideas, but some transitions feel mechanical or slightly forced. The progression of information is generally logical, moving from the gates to the facilities, but the internal coherence within the final paragraph is weakened by the complex description of the relocation of the cafe and check-in area, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the spatial changes clearly. Paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate distinct areas of the airport.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'facilities', 'installed', and 'relocated'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'arrival side is currently empty' (which is a bit imprecise) and 'double both sides' (which is unclear). The response relies on fairly simple descriptive language. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim to use more precise collocations and a wider variety of vocabulary to describe spatial changes and trends, rather than relying on basic verbs like 'added' or 'moved'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the airport only has check-in area' (missing article), 'there will addition of' (missing verb), and 'moved its position near' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The use of future tense to describe the planned changes is generally consistent, but the control over articles and prepositions is inconsistent throughout the text. More attention to sentence construction and proofreading for minor errors would improve the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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