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)

These images illustrate the present condition of the airport and future condition after one year >

Overall, The massive changes will be seen in airport after one year,although walkway will be removed permanently from airport.

Currently the airport have 8 entrance, And after entrnace there is a walkway for the passengers.After that an empty hallway is designs.after that on the east side there is an security passport office which is opposite to passport control customs.In the east side there is a cafe and check-in counter which leads to depature side ,while on the other hand , arrival portion is empty .

In future , there will be total 16 entrance points with the sky train.After that east side of the empty hall will be filled with shops and west remains as same.There will be massive changes in departure and arrival sides.In depature Bag will be added while on the other hand , atm and another cafe will be added.Both departure and arrival sides will have 2 entrances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main change as substantial redevelopment and mention the expanded gate area, sky train, shops, and new facilities. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the future plan shows 18 gates, not “16 entrance points,” and the current plan has eight gates rather than eight entrances. The walkway is not described as being permanently removed; the new concourse instead adds a sky train. Some important changes are also omitted or confused, including check-in moving to the inner wall, bag drop being added, and car hire appearing in a new extension. The overview is present, but the comparison of the two plans needs more precise, well-selected details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a basic overall structure: an opening, an overview, and paragraphs describing the current and future layouts. This gives the reader a general sense of the comparison. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in the current-plan description, where “after that” is repeated and the locations of facilities are not clearly related to one another. The contrast marker “on the other hand” is also used where the relationship is not always a clear contrast. Organise details by area—for example, concourse first, then departures and arrivals—and use more precise location links such as “beside,” “opposite,” and “to the east of” to make the comparison easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant map vocabulary, including “walkway,” “sky train,” “shops,” “entrance points,” and “departure and arrival sides.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward for describing a plan. “Entrance” is used for gates, while “empty hallway is designs” does not clearly communicate the layout. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “entrnace,” “depature,” and “atm,” which reduce the polish and can make details harder to understand. Build a more precise set of terms for airport facilities and spatial relationships, and check spelling carefully. This would help you describe changes without relying on broad phrases such as “massive changes.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and use time contrasts such as “Currently” and “In future,” but control is inconsistent. Errors include subject–verb agreement in “the airport have,” article use in “an security passport office,” and sentence construction in “an empty hallway is designs.” Several sentences also run together, as in the opening description of the current layout, with punctuation that does not clearly separate ideas. These problems sometimes make the intended relationships difficult to follow. Practise accurate simple sentences for locations, then combine them with controlled clauses using “while” or “whereas.” Check agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries when proofreading.

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