Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27
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 layouts of site of an airport illustrate the appearance now and how it will look after reconstruction in later year.
Overall, the design of area of an airport will undergo significant development, with several new services will be added, including bag drop, ATM, sky train and car hire services.
At present, there is only one entry door for departures in the airport. After, there is check-in point on the western side of this, whereas cafe area is located on the opposite side of check-in point. Above these both, the security and passport control are located. on the northern side, there is also walkway, with platform number from 1 to 8. Moreover, there is also solely one door for arrivals and passport control and custom are in the middle of this airport site.
Under the proposed plan, there will be two entry door for departures in the airport. Similarly, arrivals gate will be expanded from one to two. After departures area, brag drop f
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to complete the task as it is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('brag drop f'). While you have identified some key features, the lack of a full description of the proposed changes means the task is not fully addressed. To improve, ensure you provide a complete overview of all significant changes shown in the diagrams. You should also focus on selecting the most important features rather than listing every single detail, as this helps in providing a clearer summary. The current response lacks a coherent conclusion or a full description of the redevelopment phase, which is essential for a Task 1 response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Similarly', which help link ideas, but the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'Above these both' or 'After, there is check-in'. The progression of information is logical in the first half but breaks down as the text ends prematurely. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that you use a variety of linking words to connect your comparisons between the 'now' and 'future' layouts more smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You use basic terms like 'entry door' instead of 'entrance' or 'access point'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'in later year' instead of 'next year' or 'in the coming year'. To reach a higher band, try to use more specific vocabulary related to maps and diagrams, such as 'relocated', 'expanded', 'transformed', or 'situated'. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will help you convey the changes more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with articles ('the layouts of site of an airport') and sentence structure. You often omit necessary articles or use them incorrectly. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'Above these both' and 'custom are in the middle'. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically the use of articles and prepositions, and ensure that your verb tenses are consistent when describing future plans versus current states.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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