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)
The map demonstrates the current view of an airport and also how it will look after 1 year of redevelopment.
Overall, it is clear from map that in the redevelopment of the ariport , there will be a new area of sky trains with 18 total gates. There will also be a new cafe, an Atm and two new doors in both passport control custom and security areas.
The redevolpment plan shows new section of sky train with 18 total gates in the next year. Moreover, the plan shows a new cafe for passport control custom room with car hire facility. In the current plan, there are only 1 departure and arrival gates but in new plan there are total 2 gates for each (departure and arrival).
The current plan has a walkaway which will be get replace by new section of sky train. There will also be a bag drop place in the security passport control area in future plan whilst there will also be an ATM in passport control custom area in future changes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to address the task by describing the main changes between the current airport plan and the proposed redevelopment. An overview is provided, noting the sky trains, 18 gates, and additional facilities. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the visual data. For instance, the student states there are 'only 1 departure and arrival gates' currently and '2 gates for each' in the new plan, which misreads the layout where arrivals and departures occupy different zones and gates 1-8 are expanded to 1-18 in a Y-shaped concourse. Furthermore, the description of where facilities are located is imprecise and confused in places. Consequently, the task is addressed only partially, warranting a band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs attempting to detail the map features. However, the logical progression is weak, and sentences often feel disconnected or repetitive, as seen when details about the sky train and gates are reiterated across paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used minimally and sometimes inappropriately, such as 'moreover' and 'whilst', leading to a mechanical feel. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as 'passport control custom room'. Paragraphing structure is present but under-developed, aligning with band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with frequent misspellings and word-choice errors, such as 'ariport' (airport), 'redevolpment' (redevelopment), 'custom' (customs), and 'walkaway' (walkway). Attempts at less common vocabulary result in unnatural collocations or inaccurate terms, such as 'passport control custom room' and 'bag drop place'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey a general idea of the map changes, the frequent errors and limited range restrict the score to a band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The map demonstrates the current view of an airport and also how it will look after 1 year of redevelopment.' However, grammatical accuracy is low, with noticeable errors including missing articles ('an Atm', 'in map'), incorrect prepositions ('in both passport control custom and security areas'), and passive voice awkwardness ('will be get replace'). These errors occur frequently and occasionally impede smooth reading, though the meaning is usually retrievable, placing this criterion at a band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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