Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-11

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 plans illustrate the information about the site of an airport present and after development in upcoming year.

AT the first glance, it is lucid that area of the airport will be increasing next year. In the departures area, cafe will move near entrance. Whereas cafe and check-in portion will convert into check-in and bag drop area respectively. in the arrivals portion, there will construct cafe, ATM and car hire place. Two gates will be installed.

Moreover, at present there are only 8 gates with walkways but in the future there will be installed sky train and will incline gates 8 to 18. In addition, near security passport control shop will open. One gate will convert into 2 gates. also extend the area of arrivals for people who want take taxi.

From an overall analysis, it is clearly seen that plethora of developments going to bring into the airport.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task by identifying key changes between the current and future airport layout. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While the main features are mentioned, the comparison is hindered by imprecise language, such as 'incline gates 8 to 18,' which is unclear. The overview provided at the end is very brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully satisfy the requirements for a higher band. To improve, ensure that all major changes are described with precision and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just stating that developments are occurring.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'AT the first glance' and the repetitive use of 'Moreover' and 'In addition.' The flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the sequence of changes feels like a list rather than a cohesive report. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the ideas progress more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher score. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'there will construct' (incorrect passive voice) and 'plethora of developments going to bring into the airport.' The use of 'lucid' is slightly unnatural in this context. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for describing spatial changes and ensure that collocations are accurate, such as using 'undergo redevelopment' instead of 'bring into the airport.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'there will construct' (should be 'will be constructed'), 'will incline gates' (incorrect verb choice), and missing articles throughout the text (e.g., 'cafe will move'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences starting with lowercase letters. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction and verb tense usage limits the score.

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

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