Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-01
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 difference of the site of airport now and after development which occur next year.
The main difference is that the walkway will replaced by a sky train and the gates will increase.
The first plane shows now the airport have only two gates. One is used for entering and other for departures. In front of entering gate there is a place for passport control customs. But the area in front of departure gate is occupied by cafe and for check in. After this area the security passport control is present. after passing the security passport control and passport control customs the road is passed for walkway.
The second plane shows the gates will increased to four. In front of arrivals gate the place will occupied with cafe, atm and car hire. The passport control custom wil remain on the same place. On the left side side of arrival gate there will to departures gate. In front of this there will be a place for check in, cafe, and bag drop. Security will remain on the same place. After this area the shops will built. The area of walkway replaced with sky train.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the task only partially. While the student attempts to compare the current and future layouts of Southwest Airport, the information is inaccurately reported and misinterprets key features from the visual data. For instance, stating that the airport 'have only two gates' currently and that 'the gates will increased to four' demonstrates a misreading of the map, which clearly shows gates 1 to 8 now and 1 to 18 after development. Furthermore, the description of specific areas is often confused and under-developed, lacking a clear overview of the main changes. To move to a higher band, the student must carefully study the visual data to ensure that key features such as gate numbers, transport links, and terminal facilities are reported accurately and supported by a clear, coherent overview of the main trends.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some organisation in the response, but it lacks a clear overall progression. The essay is divided into paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by a brief overview attempt, and then body paragraphs describing the 'now' and 'after' plans. However, the logical flow is disrupted by inaccurate reporting of the data and weak cohesive devices. Referencing is frequently unclear, with pronouns and relational phrases like 'After this area' and 'In front of this' failing to connect ideas smoothly. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal structure of the paragraphs is disjointed. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to logically sequence information, ensure a clear progression from one point to the next, and use cohesive devices more accurately rather than relying on repetitive, mechanical transitions.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical resource is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student uses basic vocabulary related to the maps, such as 'airport', 'gates', 'cafe', and 'shops', but struggles with appropriate word choice and collocations. There are noticeable lexical errors, such as using 'plane' instead of 'plan', and awkward phrasing like 'the road is passed for walkway' or 'the place will occupied with'. Additionally, word formation errors are present, such as 'gates will increased' instead of 'gates will be increased'. These errors cause some difficulty for the reader and impede clear communication. To improve lexical resource, the writer should focus on expanding their range of functional vocabulary for describing spatial changes, maps, and facilities, while paying closer attention to correct word forms and spelling.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response demonstrates a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent grammatical errors. There is a lack of control over basic grammatical patterns, including verb forms, tense consistency, and subject-verb agreement. Examples of errors include 'the airport have only two gates', 'the walkway will replaced', 'the passport control custom wil remain', and 'the shops will built', which display widespread omissions of auxiliary verbs and passive voice markers. Punctuation and articles are also handled inconsistently throughout the text. These frequent errors cause significant difficulty for the reader and obscure the intended meaning. To reach a higher band, the student must work on constructing grammatically sound sentences, maintaining correct verb tenses and voices, and mastering basic structural patterns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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