Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-07
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)
This plan depicts the site of an airport before development and how it will look after redevelopment.
Firstly, the airport has bare apart from all these facilities which are planning for the future. In the next year, both departure and arrival areas will transform. In addition, departure area only have check in system and a cafe but their locations will transform after the redevelopment. In the future, check in system will place in the right corner and also a cafe on the left edge corner. Furthermore, there will be a new facility of dustbin in which people easily drop their waste bags.
Secondly, currently, arrival area has no facilities but in future there will a car hire facility and a cafe with an ATM cabin. Likewise, there are only 8 gates but its counting will increase up to 18 gates in the next year. It is then, individuals will clear their immigration processes more smoothly and instantly.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the task by identifying key changes, such as the increase in gates and the addition of new facilities. However, the overview is weak; it lacks a clear summary of the most significant trends, such as the overall expansion of the airport's capacity. The description of the 'before' state is slightly inaccurate, as the prompt shows existing facilities rather than a 'bare' site. Furthermore, some details are described in a confusing manner, such as the 'dustbin' facility, which is not a standard feature to highlight in an academic report. To improve, focus on identifying the most prominent changes and grouping them logically rather than listing every minor detail.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'It is then, individuals will clear their immigration processes'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly when moving between the departure and arrival areas. Referencing is also inconsistent; for example, the phrase 'its counting' is unclear in its reference to the gates. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows logically from the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic descriptors like 'bare', 'transform', and 'system'. Some word choices are unnatural or inaccurate in this context, such as 'dustbin' instead of 'waste disposal facilities' or 'counting' instead of 'number'. There is also a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to airport infrastructure and spatial descriptions, while ensuring that collocations are used correctly.
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 impede clarity. Examples include 'the airport has bare apart from all these facilities', 'check in system will place', and 'there will a car hire facility'. These errors involve missing verbs, incorrect passive voice construction, and article usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of the passive voice for describing changes would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.