Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-23

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 display the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year. Some major changes will be done in the new plan.

It is clear that departures currently have only one enterance and check-in with a cafe over there but in the new plan there will be 2 enterance as well as a space for bag drop is also allocated with cafe and check-in. Arrivals is completely vacant today with only one exit but after redevelopment there will be cafe, ATM and car hire with 2 exit gates.

Moreover, security passport control and passport control customs will be at the same place where they are right now. Some shops will be developed in the new plan after the security passport control. Currently there is walkaway with 8 gates but after redevelopment there will be a sky train with 18 gates.

Overall, the new plan will have more facilities and space with some new architecture.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad purpose of the plans and report several important changes, including the increase from 8 to 18 gates, the addition of a sky train, and new facilities such as an ATM and car hire. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: Arrivals is not “completely vacant” now, since it contains passport control and customs, and the plans do not show two new entrance or exit gates. The location of the shops is also described imprecisely; they are beside the concourse stem, not after security. The overview that the airport will have more facilities is relevant but could better highlight the Y-shaped concourse expansion and relocated check-in. The response is also 5 words below the 150-word minimum, limiting the detail provided.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, descriptions of departures and arrivals, a further comparison, and a concluding overview. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “Overall” help signal movement between points. However, the progression is not always clear because several changes are compressed into long sentences, and the distinction between current and future features becomes difficult to follow. For example, the sentence beginning “Arrivals is completely vacant today” combines an inaccurate present description with several future additions. Organise the report into clearer paragraphs for the current layout and the redevelopment, and use explicit contrasts such as “whereas” or “by contrast” to connect corresponding features. This would make the comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a plan, including “redevelopment,” “allocated,” “facilities,” and “gates,” and the reader can generally understand the intended changes. However, the range is limited and some word choices are imprecise or unnatural. “Enterance” is misspelled, while “exit gates” does not accurately describe the doors shown for Arrivals. “Some new architecture” is vague and does not identify the concourse’s Y-shaped extension. Repeated use of “new plan” and “after redevelopment” also limits variety. Aim for precise terms for airport areas and spatial changes, such as “terminal,” “concourse,” “extension,” and “relocated,” and check spelling and collocations so that the description remains clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “but” and a concluding sentence introduced by “Overall.” The main message is usually understandable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement are noticeable. For example, “departures currently have” and “Arrivals is” use inconsistent agreement with these area names, while “a space for bag drop is also allocated with cafe and check-in” has an unclear grammatical relationship between the facilities. The phrase “there will be 2 enterance” also has a number–plural error. Use complete, clearly structured comparisons and check articles, plurals, and agreement. More accurate control of these patterns would make your descriptions easier to read.

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