Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-02

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 illustrates the comparison on a southwest airport now and after redevelopment next year.

Overall, the security passport control and passport control customs , departures and arrivals remain unchanged. it is automatic circular process.

present there are only eight gates and gate 1 and 3 are walkway gates , in departures compartment only check-in and a cafe is there. and passport control customs remains empty.

A year later after development the gates are increased to 18 from 8 , there will be few shops and in security passport control a bad drop center , and check-in and a cafe . and in arrivals compartment cafe and ATM to withdrawal the money and car hire place .and there is a sky train facility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response sits at this level because it addresses the task only partially and falls short of the minimum length requirement of 150 words, finishing at 123 words. While the student attempts to summarise the main changes between the current and future layout of Southwest Airport, the overview is weak and confused, stating inaccurately that areas like departures and arrivals remain unchanged. Key features such as the expansion of the gates from 8 to 18, the addition of the sky train, and new facilities like the bag drop and car hire are mentioned, but the description remains limited and lacks a fully developed overview. To reach higher bands, the writer must ensure the word count requirement is met, provide a clearer summary of the overarching changes, and report the visual data with greater accuracy and detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text shows some overall organisation with separate paragraphs attempting to handle the introduction, an overview, and the specific details of the plans. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the logical connection between sentences is weak. Cohesive devices are minimal, repetitive, or inaccurate, such as starting multiple sentences and clauses with coordinating conjunctions or repetitive phrasing like 'and in arrivals compartment'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs is faulty, making the text feel disjointed. To improve, the writer needs to employ a wider range of cohesive ties effectively, structure paragraphs around clear thematic topics, and ensure that ideas flow logically from one point to the next without abrupt transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task, containing noticeable errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. The student uses basic terms and attempts some less common vocabulary, but often with incorrect word choice, form, or collocation, such as 'bad drop center' instead of 'bag drop' and 'withdrawal the money' instead of 'withdraw money'. Spelling and word formation issues also appear, reflecting a restricted control of lexical features. To achieve a higher score, the writer must expand their vocabulary range, use precise task-specific terms related to maps and diagrams accurately, and focus on correct word forms and collocations to ensure smoother communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Grammatical control is weak, featuring a very limited range of sentence structures and frequent errors. The writing relies primarily on simple sentences or faulty attempts at complex clauses, accompanied by frequent errors in subject-verb agreement, missing articles, incorrect prepositions, and poor punctuation. Examples include 'The plans illustrates', where subject-verb agreement fails, and fragmented structures like 'it is automatic circular process'. These frequent errors disrupt the reading flow and can cause difficulty for the reader. To improve, the student needs to develop better control over basic sentence patterns, ensure correct use of articles and prepositions, and reduce the frequency of grammatical errors by writing with greater structural accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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