Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-13

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 presented set of maps illustrates how the site of an airport looks currently and will be looked after development in upcoming year.

Overall, it is apparent that the site will undergo several significant facilities such as, back drop, atm and sky traing etcetera. Moreover, departure and arrival points will be remained same.

To begin with, there is check in area near the departure, which is expected to be replaced by bag drop and the cafe will be constructed in the southwest corner. Additionally,in the east side, the area is anticipated to be expanded in order to made car hire, beside it the atm will be introduced. Currently, there is only one cafe, but one more is likely to be made near the atm.

Furthermore, there is only one arrival and departure gates only, while in upcoming year there will be two gates of each alternative.Shops will be introduced on the upside of security and passport council. However, walkways will be demolished and by replacing it sky train is estimated to be constructed. In present. there are 8 gates only, but in the future there will be 18.In addition, passport control and customs will be remained same.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad change from eight gates to eighteen and mention several planned additions, including shops, a sky train, an ATM and car hire. However, the overview is not fully accurate: the departure and arrival areas remain in the same general parts of the terminal, but their internal facilities change, and the concourse is substantially extended into a Y-shape. Some details are misreported or unclear. For example, the check-in counter is moved to the inner wall beside Arrivals, rather than simply being replaced by bag drop; the new shops are beside the concourse, not “on the upside of security”; and the gates are not two separate arrival and departure gates. Select the main spatial changes and describe them precisely to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an identifiable introduction, overview and two body paragraphs, and it uses sequencing expressions such as “To begin with” and “Furthermore.” This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, the progression between features is often difficult to follow: the second body paragraph moves from gates to shops, then the walkway and gate numbers, before returning to passport control. Some linking phrases are also awkward or do not clarify relationships, as in “Additionally, in the east side” and “However, walkways will be demolished.” Group information by area—for example, terminal changes first and concourse changes second—and use clear references to the current and future plans. This would make the comparison easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of task-related vocabulary, including “expanded,” “introduced,” “constructed” and “demolished,” and terms such as “southwest corner” help describe location. However, several inaccurate or unnatural choices make some details hard to understand. “Back drop” appears to mean “bag drop,” “sky traing” is misspelled, and “passport council” is not the correct term for passport control. Phrases such as “departure and arrival points” and “two gates of each alternative” are also imprecise for describing the airport layout. Aim for accurate map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “the concourse is extended” and “facilities are added.” Proofreading spelling and word choice would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, for example, “Currently, there is only one cafe, but one more is likely to be made near the atm.” However, attempts at more complex structures are often inaccurate, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. Examples include “will be looked after development,” “will be remained same,” and “in order to made car hire.” These require more reliable future forms and verb patterns: for example, “will look after redevelopment,” “will remain the same,” and “in order to provide car hire.” There are also punctuation and sentence-boundary problems, such as “In present.” Practise accurate future passive and active constructions, and check articles and sentence boundaries.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.