Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-20

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 images illustrate the look of an airport at present moment, and a future look after re-constructing in next year.

Overall, airport has several terminal facilities, which will be increased in future. The checking are will remained unchanged, and just before the terminal gates, addition of shops and few common facilities will take a place. However, the new gates on the both side of entry and exit makes up the space.

At present, There are total eight terminal gates in the airport, but there is only one gate on each side for the entry and exit (also called as departures and arrivals). However, before heading towards to the passport control desk and security check , there is a check-in process ahead. While cafe is on the opposite side of that. Also, to enter the plane only walkway option is available at terminal gates.

In the future, ten new gates (18) will be added with the sky train option available. While the new entry and exit point will be added (2 on each side of departure and arrivals). In addition, facilities such as bag drop, cafe and check-in take a place just before the passport checking. However, new shops will be opened, after immigration process tourist will be allowed to go there, and a car hiring also at the corner of arrival gate, and beside of that , there is an atm.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main change—the expansion from eight gates to a larger concourse with a sky train—and describe several facilities added or relocated, including shops, bag drop, an ATM and car hire. The overview also recognises that the airport will gain facilities. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the entry and exit points are not shown as being added, and “ten new gates (18)” should distinguish the increase from eight to eighteen total gates. The claim that shops are accessible only after immigration is not supported by the plan. You also say the check-in area remains unchanged, although it moves to the inner wall beside Arrivals. Covering these key spatial changes accurately and explaining the terminal layout more clearly would strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable four-paragraph structure: introduction, overview, present layout and future layout. This gives the reader a basic progression from the current airport to the redevelopment. You also use linking expressions such as “Overall,” “At present,” “However” and “In addition.” At times, though, these links are mechanical or do not show the relationship between ideas clearly. For example, “However, the new gates on the both side of entry and exit makes up the space” is difficult to connect to the overview, and the final paragraph moves rapidly between facilities without a clear spatial sequence. Organise each description by area—departures, arrivals, then concourse—and use more precise references to locations.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant airport vocabulary, including “terminal gates,” “passport control,” “walkway,” “sky train,” “bag drop” and “car hire,” so the topic is generally clear. There are also attempts at more descriptive phrasing, such as “at the corner of arrival gate.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “re-constructing” is not the best term for redevelopment, “checking are” is unclear, and “take a place” is used where “will be located” or “will be added” is needed. “Entry and exit” is also less precise than the plan’s labels, “Departures” and “Arrivals.” Build a reliable set of location and change verbs, and check word forms and collocations so that the reader can interpret each feature without guessing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including contrast clauses with “but” and “while,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction occur across the response. Examples include “The checking are will remained unchanged,” “the new gates … makes up the space,” and “a car hiring also at the corner,” where the grammatical relationships are incomplete or incorrect. There are also awkward clause patterns in “before heading towards to the passport control desk” and inconsistent capitalisation after full stops, as in “At present, There.” Practise forming complete clauses with a clear subject and correctly inflected verb, then check articles and agreement. More accurate control of these patterns would make your complex sentences easier to follow.

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