Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-17
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 plans illustrate the site of an airport now and how it will take after redevelopment next year.
Overall, the most striking trend shows increase the number of gates at 18 after redevelopment the southwest airport. While convert the walkway pedestrians to sky train.
Regarding, the currently southwest airport it has a total 8 gates and in the redevelopment they increased the number of gates total 18 gates. Secondly, convert this walkway to this sky train for helping people to one to another location in airport. Thirdly, add a new ATM machine in arrivals department area in redevelopment the airport. fourthly car hire area in arrivals department area in redevelopment the airport. lastly, add bad drop area in departures where already check-in department have. Furthermore, add some new random shops in nearby 18 gates.
In conclusion, in the redevelopment of airport they add some newly location where we have ATM, car hire, sky train and lastly the have increase the gates and the rest area is almost same.
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 address the task by outlining the main changes between the current and future layouts of Southwest Airport, such as the increase in gates, the addition of a sky train, and new facilities like an ATM and car hire. However, the response fails to provide a clear, cohesive overall summary in the introduction and relies on a repetitive, list-like structure in the body paragraphs rather than a fully developed overview and comparative analysis. While key features are identified, such as the extension to 18 gates, the expression of these ideas is often fragmented and lacks academic precision. Therefore, this performance meets the criteria for Band 5.0, where the task is addressed partially and ideas remain somewhat limited and under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion, but the overall progression is disjointed. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, such as the sequence markers 'Regarding, the currently southwest airport', 'Secondly', 'Thirdly', 'fourthly', and 'lastly', which create a list-like rather than flowing academic style. Paragraphing is attempted, but the body paragraph is a dense single block of loosely connected bullet-like points rather than logically structured thematic paragraphs. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, for instance in phrases like 'convert this walkway to this sky train'. These issues place the response firmly in Band 5.0, characterized by some overall organisation but a lack of clear progression and faulty, mechanical cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The lexical range is quite limited and heavily dependent on basic vocabulary directly lifted or slightly adapted from the prompt and visual data (e.g., 'gates', 'redevelopment', 'airport', 'ATM machine', 'arrivals department'). There are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'take after redevelopment' instead of 'look like', 'increase the number of gates total 18 gates', and 'bad drop area' instead of 'bag drop'. Spelling and word formation errors, such as 'bad drop' for 'bag drop' and 'newly location', further restrict the score. The vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic points, aligning with Band 5.0, where noticeable errors cause some difficulty for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and faulty infinitives or imperative-like verbs (e.g., 'add a new ATM machine', 'add bad drop area'). Attempts at complex structures are frequently ungrammatical or incomplete, such as 'how it will take after redevelopment next year' and 'shows increase the number of gates'. There are frequent errors in verb forms, prepositions, and sentence boundaries, which often impede communication and require the reader to decode the intended meaning. This grammatical profile corresponds to Band 4.0 or a weak 5.0; however, because simple meanings are eventually conveyed, a Band 5.0 is awarded for a limited range of structures and frequent errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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