Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-16
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 5.0)
Now in the Southwest airport the checkin is in the left side lower corner of the building. There are a security passport control and a passport control customs. Furthermore, there is a cafe and a walk way with eight gates.
After development there will be eighteen gates in Y shape. And also, there is a sky train as well. Security passport control and the passport control custom are in the same place as previous. Now there is one cafe under security passport control, but in the future there are two cafes under both security passport control and the passport control custom.
In the future plan, in the place of arrival there is a car hire and a ATM system as well. Furthermore, there is a bag drop in the departure. Now there are no shops in the Southwest airport. But in the future there will be shops within the airport. In the present structure the eight gates are in square shape, but in future plan there are eighteen gates in Y shape.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover the main features of the maps, contrasting the airport now with the proposed development next year. Key changes are noted, such as the extension from 8 to 18 gates, the addition of a sky train, new shops, and facilities like a car hire and ATM system. However, the response lacks a clear overall overview, which is an essential requirement for Band 6 and above in Academic Task 1. Furthermore, some spatial descriptions are vague or inaccurate, and the organization of details feels somewhat disjointed rather than fully synthesized or compared effectively. Consequently, the task is addressed only partially, aligning closely with Band 5 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into short, repetitive paragraphs that lack a clear logical progression. Cohesive devices are minimal and basic, relying heavily on repetitive sentence starters such as 'Now' and 'In the future plan'. Referencing between sentences is occasionally unclear, and there is no overarching structure that guides the reader smoothly from the present layout to the future redevelopment. While the basic arrangement of information is discernible, the lack of sophisticated cohesive devices and poor paragraph structuring keep this response at a Band 5 level.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is quite limited and repetitive, with frequent reuse of basic terms like 'future', 'airport', 'gates', and 'cafe'. There are noticeable spelling and formatting errors, such as 'checkin' instead of 'check-in' and 'custom' instead of 'customs'. The vocabulary used is minimally adequate to convey basic spatial changes ('Y shape', 'car hire', 'ATM system'), but attempts at less common lexical items are largely absent. Word choices are simple and occasionally awkward, fitting the Band 5 descriptor where vocabulary is sufficient for the task but exhibits noticeable limitations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response features a very limited range of sentence structures, relying predominantly on simple sentences and basic present or future tense constructions (e.g., 'Now in the Southwest airport the checkin is...', 'After development there will be...'). There are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation omissions, such as missing hyphens and awkward prepositions ('in the left side lower corner', 'under security passport control'). Complex sentence forms are virtually absent. Because errors are frequent and structures are restricted, the writing sits comfortably within the Band 5 criteria.
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.