Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-18
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 layout gives information about the site of an airport at present and what changes are witnessed in an airport after redevelopment next year.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the southwest airport undergoes various changes in the next year after development . However, new facilities are added, such as shops, coffee shops, car parks, and so on.
To begin with, in the centre of an airport, nowadays there are two main features such as security passport control and passport control customs whereas in the future they all are same but adding few shops added in both. In the security passport area, the location of the coffee shop is changed from right to left and one baggage drop area will be added in future development. Further, in the passport control customs area, there are no shops located today, but in the future it will witnessed a few changes. One coffee shop will be added, an ATM or currency exchange will be present, and lastly, there will be one car hire shop.
Probing further, on the East side of the southwest airport, there is passport control customs at present, whereas in the future development, it will succeed and provide more space for car hire. Furthermore, on the West side of the airport, there is empty space at present, but in the future there will be shops located there. Additionally, on the North side of the airport, there is a pedestrian lane at present, but in the next year there will be trams located for passengers to move to their respective terminals.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by comparing the current and future layouts of Southwest Airport. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and misreadings of the visual data. For instance, the description confuses the terminal layout, claiming that 'in the centre of an airport, nowadays there are two main features such as security passport control and passport control customs', whereas the maps show distinct departures, arrivals, security, and passport control areas. The overview is rather vague ('undergoes various changes... such as shops, coffee shops, car parks, and so on'), failing to highlight the primary transformation, which is the expansion of the concourse into a Y-shape with a sky train and added facilities. While some features like the bag drop and car hire are correctly identified, the overall reporting lacks precision and misinterprets several key spatial relationships. This corresponds to a Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text is divided into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices and transition markers such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'Probing further'. However, referencing is sometimes unclear, and the logical progression within paragraphs is disrupted by confusing spatial descriptions (e.g., placing passport control and customs 'on the East side' rather than correctly identifying them within the terminal building). Paragraphing structure is present, but the internal flow suffers from repetitive phrasing and weak logical links. This performance aligns with Band 5.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it is repetitive and relies on basic terminology (e.g., 'changes', 'features', 'shops', 'coffee shop'). There are several unnatural collocations or imprecise word choices, such as 'what changes are witnessed in an airport', 'pedestrian lane', and 'trams located' (the visual data clearly shows a 'Sky train'). While the student attempts some less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in word choice and repetition restrict the lexical range to a Band 5.5 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several awkward phrasings, missing articles, and grammatical errors, such as 'the southwest airport undergoes various changes in the next year after development', 'they all are same but adding few shops added in both', and 'it will witnessed a few changes'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but frequent errors in verb tense consistency (mixing present and future improperly) and awkward syntax occasionally impede smooth reading. This places the grammar at a Band 5.0.
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.