Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-09

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 diagram compares the blueprint of an airport at present and to the proposed layout of redevolopment next year.

Overall the major upgrades are going to be in boarding area whera the gates that were limited to only 8 are now going to stretch over 18 gates and also the sky train is going run where now stand a walkaway. Due to these the there will be alot of reduction in traffic.

In addition, if we come to the gates of departures on the left side wherese on the side of arrivals cofee shop is on right with an atm shop nearby. firthermore in departures there is an addition of bagdrop right where there stands the check-in countre. The check-in countre will also go through a little change by just adjusting its position. On the other hand of arrivals, Car hire is also going to a major addition in airport renovations

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main transformation: the gate capacity expands from eight to eighteen, and a sky train is added. You also mention several new facilities, including an ATM and car hire, so the response is relevant to the plans. However, coverage is partial and some details are inaccurate or unclear. The sky train runs along the new concourse stem, but the existing walkway is not simply replaced. The bag-drop point is added on the west wall, while check-in moves to the inner wall beside Arrivals; it is not clear that bag drop occupies the former check-in position. The overview also claims there will be “a lot of reduction in traffic,” which the plans do not show. Describe the major spatial changes more precisely and include the Y-shaped concourse and shops.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an opening, an overview, and a further paragraph, and it attempts to group information by area. This gives it some organisation. However, progression is difficult to follow because several locations and changes are compressed into long, loosely connected sentences. For example, “if we come to the gates of departures on the left side wherese on the side of arrivals…” does not clearly distinguish the two terminal areas. Connectors such as “In addition,” “furthermore,” and “On the other hand” are used, but the relationships they signal are sometimes unclear or mechanical. A clearer sequence would be to summarise the expanded concourse first, then describe changes in Departures and Arrivals separately, using direct location references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “blueprint,” “gates,” “sky train,” “bagdrop,” “check-in counter,” and “Car hire.” This shows an attempt to describe airport facilities and changes. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or spellings reduce clarity: “walkaway” appears to mean “walkway,” “cofee shop” is imprecise for “café,” and “traffic” is not supported by the plans. There are also spelling errors such as “redevolopment,” “whera,” and “firthermore,” alongside awkward phrases such as “major addition in airport renovations.” Use precise map language such as “is relocated,” “is added,” and “along the concourse,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of sentence forms, including an overview beginning “Overall” and a contrast introduced by “On the other hand.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in sentence structure and verb forms sometimes make the relationships between changes hard to understand. For example, “the sky train is going run where now stand a walkaway” is missing grammatical elements, while “Due to these the there will be…” contains faulty construction and unclear reference. The opening also combines “compares” with “and to,” creating an unbalanced structure. Practise complete clauses with clear subjects and verbs, for example: “The sky train will run along the centre of the extended concourse.” Check articles, verb forms, and punctuation when joining clauses.

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