Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-14
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 plans illustrate the information about a airport now and how it is redeveloped in next year.
Overall, the main change is show in gate in present, there are only 8 gates. Although in upcoming year there are 18 gates as well as the shops are besides them.
To begin with, security passport control are same as its in the present but on the back of this shop has been construct. the passport control customs has not reconstructed although on the front of these there are cafe area and also a atm as well as a car hire area .
Moving towards to the rest of the information, there will be a coffee shop near the departures gates. Moreover the check-in area will be on the right side near the security passport control. Additionally there will be a seperate area for the bag drop. it will be big as compare to now because there will be a coffe shop its now demolish.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the most important overall change: the airport expands from eight gates to eighteen, and you mention several planned additions, including shops, an ATM, car hire and bag drop. However, the comparison is only partly developed, and some locations or changes are unclear or inaccurate. For example, “shops are besides them” does not explain that shops are between Departures and the concourse, while “the coffee shop near the departures gates” misplaces the café, which is in the bottom-left of Departures. The claim that the existing café “is now demolish” also conflicts with the plan: a café remains in Departures, though its position changes. Include the Y-shaped concourse and the central sky train, and describe the main changes more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs of details. Phrases such as “To begin with” and “Moreover” help signal progression, and the reader can follow that you are comparing the current and future layouts. However, the organisation does not consistently group related features, and some references are difficult to follow. For instance, “the front of these” does not clearly identify which area you mean, and the final paragraph shifts between the café, check-in and bag drop without a clear spatial sequence. Build the body paragraphs around the terminal areas—for example, concourse and gates first, then Departures and Arrivals—and use clear location references to connect each detail.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “gates,” “check-in area,” “bag drop” and “car hire.” This gives the response a basic range suited to the task. However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive, which sometimes makes the intended meaning hard to understand. Examples include “a airport,” “the main change is show in gate,” “on the back of this shop,” and “it will be big as compare to now.” Spelling and word-form errors such as “seperate,” “coffe” and “demolish” also reduce precision. Practise standard map-description phrases such as “is located beside,” “will be relocated to,” and “the concourse will be extended,” and check spelling and forms before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “Although” and a sequence using “Moreover” and “Additionally.” However, many sentences contain errors in articles, agreement, verb forms and sentence construction, and these can make relationships between features unclear. For example, “a airport” needs the correct article, “security passport control are same as its” has agreement and verb-form problems, and “the main change is show” is not a correct passive construction. The sentence beginning “Although in upcoming year” is also incomplete in structure. Work on accurate present and future forms for map descriptions, and make sure each sentence has a clear subject and verb before adding linking clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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