Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-01

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 of the site of an airport can be seen in the given figure; showing the airport's current layout and the how it will look like after redevelopment. In the current layout, there is a single gate for departure and one for arrival, but after the redevelopment there would be 2 gates for departure and 2 for arrivals. After the development, the cafe would be situated in the sharp right and in the place of cafe and the check-in, there would be check-in and bag drop areas respectively. Another cafe has been added near the arrival gates, with an atm and an area for car hire. Shops have been added, to make the airport more engaging. Initially there were 8 gates and after development there would be around 18 gates. All these developments in the Southwest airport is gonna help make it more feasible and comfortable for the passengers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast in capacity, noting that the airport expands from 8 gates to 18, and you mention several additions, including shops, an ATM and car hire. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: the current plan has departures and arrivals areas, not “a single gate for departure and one for arrival,” and the redevelopment does not create two departure gates and two arrival gates. The overview is also limited because it does not clearly summarise the major structural change: the concourse becomes Y-shaped and gains a central sky train. Some locations are misreported, such as placing the new café “near the arrival gates.” Focus on the layout and precise positions, and avoid unsupported claims about passenger comfort or engagement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly sensible order, moving from the current plan to redevelopment features, and linking phrases such as “Initially” and “after development” help signal comparison. However, the information is presented as one continuous paragraph, with no clear overview separated from supporting details. Several ideas are crowded together, particularly the sentence about the café, check-in and bag drop, making the locations difficult to follow. The repeated use of “after the redevelopment” and “after development” also makes the progression feel mechanical. Organise the response into an introduction, a concise overview, and paragraphs comparing the terminal and concourse changes; use clear spatial references to connect details.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “gates,” “bag drop,” “ATM” and “car hire,” so the main subject is generally clear. There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “situated” and “feasible.” However, some choices are imprecise or informal for an airport plan description: “sharp right” does not clearly identify a location, and “gonna” is too conversational for IELTS Academic writing. “Engaging” and “comfortable” describe assumed effects rather than visible features. Choose precise spatial expressions such as “in the bottom-left corner” or “along the west wall,” and use neutral formal wording to describe only what the plans show.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including a contrast between the current and future layouts and a sentence beginning “Another cafe has been added.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce accuracy. In the opening, “and the how it will look like” contains an unnecessary article and an incorrect structure; use “and how it will look.” The phrase “in the place of cafe and the check-in” is difficult to parse, and “All these developments … is gonna help” has subject–verb disagreement as well as an informal future form. There is also an unnecessary semicolon after “figure.” Practise accurate comparisons and agreement, and proofread sentence boundaries and articles.

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