Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-07

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 illustrate the main developments that have taken place in the site of airpot overa a one year.

overall, it is clear that the site underwent significant modernization, transforming from a largely undeveloped site in to highly developed zone. The most notable modification include the massive expansion of sky train and the introduction of amenties.

In present year, the area was primarily undeveloped. In northern section of map, there was a walkway which have eight gates, whichj was situated directly adjacent to security passport control and passport control customs. To the direction of southwest, the space was occupied by check-in and cafe from where you could departure, while the remaining eastern zone was dominated by passport control customs from where you arrival.

By next year, the area had undergone dramatic transformations. Most noticabely, the walk-way was significantly expended, with the addition of sky train with further more ten gates. Furthermore, the passport control custom was converted in to cafe and ATM. Moreover, there were addition bag drop in security passpoet control whole, the remaining shops were adjacent to the sky train.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You provide a broad before-and-after account and identify the major expansion of the concourse and the addition of facilities. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the original airport is not largely undeveloped, and the sky train is a new feature rather than something that was expanded. The redevelopment adds ten gates, but the original eight remain, giving 18 in total. You also misstate the changes around Arrivals: passport control and customs are not converted into a café and ATM; those amenities are added while the existing arrival facilities remain. The overview is relevant, but a more accurate account of the terminal layout and the new car-hire area would make the summary more complete and better supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by a paragraph about the current layout and one about the redevelopment. This gives the reader a basic chronological progression, and linking phrases such as “In present year” and “By next year” help signal the comparison. To make the organisation clearer, group details by area or function and explain how the terminal, concourse and Arrivals relate spatially. Some connections are difficult to follow, particularly “from where you could departure” and “the remaining shops were adjacent to the sky train”; the latter does not clearly describe the plan. Use more precise references and transitions so that the reader can follow each change without having to infer what “the area” or “remaining” refers to.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of vocabulary suited to describing change, including “significant modernization,” “expansion,” “introduction” and “dramatic transformations.” However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors sometimes make the description difficult to understand, as in “airpot,” “amenties,” “noticabely” and “expended.” Some combinations are also unnatural or inaccurate: “massive expansion of sky train” suggests the train itself grew, while “further more ten gates” is not a natural way to report the added gates. Choose precise map vocabulary and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the concourse as extended, the sky train as added, and the facilities as amenities; this would make your meaning clearer and more appropriately formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and some longer clauses, for example, “By next year, the area had undergone dramatic transformations.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect clarity. The opening has subject–verb disagreement (“The map illustrate”), and tense and verb-form problems appear in “which have eight gates” and “from where you could departure.” Articles, prepositions and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “in to highly developed zone” and the comma splice in “In present year, the area was primarily undeveloped.” Practise accurate past-tense descriptions and use shorter, controlled sentences when explaining locations. Proofreading for agreement, articles and punctuation would make the relationships between features easier to understand.

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