Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The given image is illustrated the southwest airport site and the proposed changes that will be made after its development.
Overall, it shows the 2 map and development was rises and expected to be a large. The main change included the expansion of the gates, in addition of the sky train, shops and several new facilities such as, ATM, car hire, bag drop were included.
In present, it includes eight gates located in the single narrow area. There are also a check in facilities in the building that is Security. On the first departure it includes passport control. While on the arrivals side it includes passport control and customs.
After development, the airport will have eighteen gates. On departures side the new were open. A sky train will connect the central building with the gates, making it easier for passengers to move around. A new bag-drop facility will also be provided in the departures section.
In conclusion, several new facilities will be introduced. This include shop near the walkway, an ATM and car-hire service in the arrivals area. The cafe will also be relocated, while the existing security, passport control and customs facilities will remain in the terminal. Overall, the development will significantly increase the airport's capacity and range of services.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The candidate successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarising the main features of Southwest Airport now and after its proposed redevelopment. An overview is provided, highlighting the main changes such as the gate expansion, sky train, and new facilities. Key data points are reported accurately, noting the increase from 8 to 18 gates, the addition of shops, a bag-drop facility, an ATM, and car hire. However, some descriptions are slightly imprecise or awkward, such as 'On the first departure it includes passport control' and 'On departures side the new were open'. Despite these minor flaws, the core information and comparisons are clear and supported by the visual data, earning a Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically into five paragraphs, following a clear structure of introduction, overview, present layout, future layout, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'In present', 'After development', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and transitions are at times mechanical or awkward, as seen with 'In present' instead of 'At present', and 'While on the arrivals side'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages and aspects of the map comparison, ensuring an overall coherent progression. This aligns well with the requirements for Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to maps and airport infrastructure such as 'redevelopment', 'expansion', 'facilities', 'passport control', and 'relocated'. There are several noticeable lexical and collocation errors, such as 'development was rises and expected to be a large' and 'the new were open', which detract from precision. Less common lexical items are attempted with mixed success. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice and phrasing are occasionally unnatural. This performance sits comfortably at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including passive voice constructions like 'will be introduced' and 'will be relocated'. There are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'The given image is illustrated' (passive/active confusion), 'shows the 2 map and development was rises', and 'This include shop'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but errors in verb forms, articles, and prepositions recur throughout the text and occasionally cause minor strain for the reader. These features are characteristic of Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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