Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-30
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 architectural layouts represent the addition of things in an airport in upcoming year.
Overall, it is clear that there is a change in plan at land side area by adding numerous new gates and also an introduction of sky train instead of walkway. Furthermore, new services like Bag drop in Departures and ATM, Car hire in Arrivals sides are added.
Looking at the data in detail, the numbers of gates increases from 8 to 18 and completely omit the Walkway with the Sky train which is located in the middle of landside. The new runway is now split in to two half and looks like V-shaped.
Regarding building area, there are addition of shops in just above the security passport control area, while at departure site only one thing is introduced which is Bag drop and shift the Check-in from left to right and place the Cafe just bellow the bag drop. Meanwhile, in arrivals area new area introduced for car hire and other facilities which are ATM and Cafe, all on the right side.
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 increase in gates, the introduction of the sky train, and the addition of new services. However, the description of the runway is inaccurate; the plan shows the runway being extended or modified, not 'split into two half' or 'V-shaped'. Additionally, the overview is somewhat simplistic. To improve, ensure that the data is interpreted more accurately and that the overview highlights the most significant changes rather than just listing them. The response addresses the prompt, but the lack of precision in describing the spatial changes limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, moving from an overview to specific details. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Looking at the data in detail', and 'Meanwhile' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the spatial descriptions ('left to right', 'bellow the bag drop') are difficult to follow without clear signposting. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that spatial references are precise would enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'architectural layouts', and 'facilities'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'addition of things', 'completely omit the Walkway', and 'bellow' (a spelling error for 'below'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to maps and diagrams, such as 'extended', 'relocated', 'replaced', or 'transformed', and ensure accurate spelling throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the addition of things in an airport in upcoming year'), subject-verb agreement ('the numbers of gates increases'), and prepositional usage. Some sentences are clunky, such as 'there are addition of shops in just above the security passport control area'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, especially with pluralisation and article usage, will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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