Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-04
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 map illustrates the site of an airport at the present time and the changes will happen after redevelopment next year.
Overall, the current area of airport have limited number of facilities as compared to the future construction of this plan. Moreover, significant positive changes are expected which included train facility and increase in the number of gates.
At the present time, there is eight number of gates and there is no transportation instead of this people used to walk in airport. In addition, the two gates which named as security passport control and passport control customs along with departures and arrivals doors. The cafe and check in is also available in departure section.
On the other hand, the number of gates will increased to eighteen and train is introduced for convenience. Additionally, security passport control and passport control will remained same but the doors of departures and arrival will become two. The amenities will be available for any emergency such as ATM, cafe car hire and bag drop
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response attempts to address the task by outlining the main changes shown on the maps, such as the increase in the number of gates and the introduction of a train. However, the coverage remains partial and somewhat superficial. While an overview is provided, key features are under-developed or inaccurately described. For instance, the description of security and passport control is confusing, stating that 'the two gates which named as security passport control and passport control customs' exist, which misreads the map labels. Furthermore, some important spatial relationships and new facilities, such as the shops and specific terminal layouts, are omitted or only vaguely mentioned, limiting the overall completeness of the report.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The text displays an overall coherent arrangement with basic paragraphing that separates the introduction, overview, present layout, and future changes. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. Transitional phrases like 'At the present time' and 'On the other hand' are used to structure the response, but within paragraphs, the progression of ideas can be disjointed. For example, sentences in the body paragraphs frequently list disconnected features without smooth logical transitions. Pronoun referencing is also weak at times, such as 'instead of this people used to walk in airport', which makes the flow awkward and requires the reader to work harder to follow the intended comparisons.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, but the range is limited and contains noticeable errors in word choice and phrasing. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'redevelopment', 'facilities', and 'convenience', but misuses terms or structures phrases unnaturally, as seen in 'current area of airport have limited number of facilities' and 'there is eight number of gates'. Additionally, there are inaccuracies in naming map features, such as referring to security and passport control as 'gates'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they restrict the lexical score, and spelling or word form errors occasionally stand out.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response relies on a very limited range of sentence structures, consisting mostly of simple and straightforward complex forms that are frequently faulty. There are persistent errors in verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and articles throughout the text. Examples include 'the changes will happen', 'current area of airport have', 'there is eight number of gates', and 'the number of gates will increased'. Preposition use and clause structures also show frequent inaccuracies, such as 'instead of this people used to walk in airport' and 'the two gates which named as'. These frequent grammar errors cause some difficulty for the reader and prevent the writing from achieving a higher level of control.
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