Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-05

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 given diagrams describe the blueprint of an airport before and after expansion. This show how it looks.

Overall, there is a enormous increase in the gates of the airport. Before, there were not many facilities for passengers but after improvement there are new area for meal and for cash. The total structure size also increased.

Before, there was only one gate for arrival and departure but it increased by one more. there is no change in security and passport control on both structures. At arrival new facilities opened which are ATM, CAFE and car hire. In old building there is no bag drop but in new it also introduced. The location of CAFE and check-in also relocated. New shops also opened at departure side. A new sky train also added and old walkway are removed after buildup. Old building have only eight gates but it increased to eighteen for passengers.

New structure fully focus on improvements and efficiency.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the airport redevelopment, such as the increase in gates and the addition of new facilities like the sky train and shops. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview. The introduction is very brief and the conclusion is a subjective statement rather than a summary of key trends. While the main features are identified, the comparison between the 'before' and 'after' states could be more structured. The description of the layout changes is somewhat repetitive, and the report would benefit from a more professional tone, avoiding informal phrasing like 'after buildup'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the frequent use of 'Before' and 'After' at the start of sentences makes the flow feel repetitive. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas smoothly. The progression of information is generally logical, moving from the gates to the facilities, but the transitions between these points could be improved to create a more cohesive and professional report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms such as 'big', 'new', and 'increased'. While you successfully identify specific features like 'passport control' and 'car hire', the overall range is limited. There are some awkward word choices, such as 'after buildup' and 'on both structures', which do not sound natural in an academic context. To improve, try to incorporate more precise verbs and nouns related to spatial changes and development, such as 'expanded', 'relocated', or 'integrated'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'This show how it looks', 'Old building have'), missing articles (e.g., 'at arrival new facilities'), and incorrect preposition usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences lacking proper structure. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding the content, they are frequent enough to impact the overall clarity and professionalism of the writing. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be beneficial.

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