Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-03

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 diagram illustrates the changes, the Southwest Airport will face after its development next year.

Overall, it is supposed to change a lot in the airport, mainly new additions like car hire station, a ATM machine , a bag drop place and the number of gates and their new orientation. Walkway will be replaced by sky train.

One of the major changes will be the number of gates and their placement. Number of gates will rise from eight to eighteen next year. And sky train will replace the walkway. There will be two cafes in the new airport. A section for bag drop will be introduced and a ATM machine will be placed near the arrival port. A car hire place is supposed to be developed near the ATM machine. Another addition will be new shops just after security check for people departing. There will be two points for arrival and departure.

The passport control, security checkpoint and customs section will remain unchanged while the check-in point will be shifted to the place where cafe is present today.

AI examiner evaluation

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 new facilities like the sky train, and the relocation of check-in. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. While you mention that it will 'change a lot', a more effective overview would highlight the expansion of capacity and the modernization of passenger flow. Some details are listed rather than compared effectively, and the description of the layout could be more precise regarding the spatial relationships between the new and old features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, the frequent use of 'There will be' and 'A... will be' makes the flow feel a bit list-like rather than integrated. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. More varied linking words or phrases would help to connect the changes more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'place', 'number of', and 'change'. Phrases such as 'bag drop place' and 'car hire place' are somewhat informal and repetitive. To improve, you should use more specific terminology related to airport infrastructure, such as 'terminal facilities', 'passenger amenities', or 'reconfiguration'. There are also minor errors in article usage, such as 'a ATM machine' (should be 'an ATM').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'the Southwest Airport will face after its development' is slightly awkward; 'the changes the Southwest Airport will undergo' would be more natural. You also have issues with article usage ('a ATM') and punctuation. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures, such as using passive voice to describe the changes, would improve the range.

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

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