Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-27
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 plans illustrate the site of an airport terminal at present and how it will look after adding and altering some amenities in next year.
Overall, the airport will look more spacious as compared to now by introduction of some facilities such as more cafe and ATM and shops. The highlighted feature is opening of more gates for visitors which enhances its entire size.
In the present time, there are total eight gates on north side for individuals. In west side, security and passport control are constructed, and besides these, another passport control and customs are located, and locations of all four facilities are same for present and future. Moreover, departures and arrivals gateways will be unchanged afted reconstruction. Check-in and cafe are presented at current times.
Moving to changes after redevelopment, shops will be installed adjacent to security control. On the northwest side, cafe will be built and next to it, bag drop will be introduced. Check-in desk will be shifted from west to east side. On the southeast side, new car parking will be opened ,and one cafe and ATM will be made besides car parking. A new path for sky train will be constructed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student attempts to summarise the main changes shown in the airport plans, mentioning the expansion of the gates, the addition of shops, cafes, an ATM, and a sky train. However, there are notable inaccuracies and omissions in reporting the spatial data. For instance, the check-in desk is incorrectly stated as moving from west to east when it is actually moved to the inner wall adjacent to arrivals, and car hire is misidentified as car parking. The overview is somewhat basic, noting the airport will look more spacious, but it lacks a comprehensive synthesis of the major structural transformation (the Y-shaped concourse extension). Consequently, the response addresses the task only partially and covers key features with some inaccuracies, aligning with Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is organised into four paragraphs, following a logical progression from an introduction and overview to current features and finally future changes. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'In the present time', and 'Moving to changes after redevelopment'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or repetitive, as seen with phrases like 'locations of all four facilities are same for present and future' and awkward sentence transitions. Paragraphing is present and helps structure the text, but the internal flow of ideas is occasionally disjointed, supporting a Band 6.0 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe common map features such as 'gates', 'shops', 'cafe', and 'security control'. However, the range is limited and repetitive, with frequent reliance on basic terms. There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies, such as referring to 'car hire' as 'car parking' and 'gateways' instead of zones or areas. Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, and word choice errors occasionally surface, placing this criterion solidly at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including passive voice constructions like 'security and passport control are constructed' and 'shops will be installed'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'in next year', 'at present time', 'are presented at current times', and missing articles ('introduction of some facilities such as more cafe and ATM and shops'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur regularly throughout the text, warranting a Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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