Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24

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 map depict the changes that toot place at an airport in present and after development.

Overall, it is clear that airport will undergo significant development ,with a flyover being added over the terminal building and several new facilities being intoduced. Whereas, terminal building will be remian same on its original place.

In present, coffee shop is present at the right -side corner of the departure building. while car parking is situated in the left side of departure area. After development, coffee shop will be reallocated at the right side of arrivals area. while car parking will be moved at the right side of departure building. In addition, a flyover being constructed above the terminal building.

At the southest part of airport, walkway is currently present, However, after the development, i will be removed and addition facilities will be added such as ATM, Skytrain and carhire. In contrast, passport and custom control area remain unchanged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the airport redevelopment, including the addition of the flyover and the relocation of facilities. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main changes are identified, the comparison between the 'present' and 'after' states could be more effectively integrated. The report would benefit from a more sophisticated selection of data, such as grouping the changes by area (e.g., terminal vs. external facilities) to provide a more cohesive summary. The information is accurate, but the development of the points is basic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes repetitive or slightly awkward, such as the frequent use of 'In addition' and 'However'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, for example, 'i will be removed' (referring to the walkway). The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the general overview to specific facility changes, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to connect the two maps more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors, such as 'toot' (took), 'intoduced' (introduced), 'remian' (remain), and 'southest' (southeast). The range of vocabulary is limited to basic descriptive terms like 'present', 'moved', and 'added'. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to map descriptions, such as 'relocated', 'demolished', 'constructed', or 'situated', and ensure that spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'The two map depict' (should be plural 'maps'), 'at the left side' (preposition error, should be 'on'), and 'a flyover being constructed' (missing auxiliary verb 'is'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and periods. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.

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

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