Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-24
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 provided image is the site map of airport, and there is shown airport of current time and how it will look like after the development.
The site map of airport which is Southwest Airport. Currently, airport is not well developed and lacking multiple facilities, it have only check-in, cafe, walkway and 8 gates which are numbered from 1 to 8. But in the second image which is looks after development. Various new facilities have been added and some new also introduced. Such as, bag drop, ATM, sky train, car hire and number of gate are also increased from 8 to 18. Ten more gates are added there in Y -shape. One major changes which is done is adding shops for the travellers inside airport.
At the end, the airport site which looks very minimalist and old has been reformed into new looks which many facilities inside the airport than previous airport.
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 describing the changes between the current and future layouts of Southwest Airport, mentioning the addition of facilities such as a bag drop, ATM, sky train, car hire, shops, and an increase in gates from 8 to 18. However, the response lacks a clear, cohesive overview and fails to provide detailed spatial comparisons or structured reporting of the key features. Furthermore, the description contains vague generalisations ('airport is not well developed') rather than objective data reporting. This performance aligns best with Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into three short paragraphs, attempting an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the logical progression is weak, and transitions between sentences are often abrupt or repetitive ('The site map of airport... But in the second image...'). Cohesive devices are used minimally and somewhat mechanically ('Such as', 'At the end'). Paragraphing is initiated, but internal cohesion fails to connect ideas smoothly, resulting in a choppy reading experience. This corresponds to a Band 5 descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple terms like 'airport', 'image', 'facilities', and 'added'. There are noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'airport of current time', 'looks after development', and 'number of gate'. While the student attempts less common vocabulary ('minimalist', 'reformed'), inaccuracies in usage limit the precision needed for higher bands. The lexical range is minimally adequate for the task, fitting Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent structural errors. There are noticeable issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'it have only check-in', 'the second image which is looks after development', and 'many facilities inside the airport than previous airport'. Complex sentences are attempted ('which are numbered from 1 to 8', 'which is done is adding shops') but are often awkward or grammatically flawed. These frequent errors impede smooth reading, placing the response firmly at Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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