Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 6.5)

The plans illustrate the current layout of

Southwest Airport and the proposed changes following redevelopment next near.

Overall, the airport will be considerably expanded, with

the existing single passenger pier being replaced by a

larger Y_shaped structure. This will provide more gates and allow passenger to access a greater number aircraft.

At present, passengers pass through security and passport

control before entering a narrow, straight pier. There are

two gates located along the pier., with the first near the entrance and the second further towards the end.

After redevelopment, the security and passport_control

areas will remain in the current positions. However, the

central pier will be extended and divided into two branches, forming a Y shape. The left and write branches will each contain several gates, providing substantially

more boarding facilities. In addition two new facilities

will be positioned along the central section, improving

passenger access and airport capacity .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the airport redevelopment, including the expansion of the pier and the addition of new gates. Your overview clearly highlights the transition from a single pier to a Y-shaped structure. You have made relevant comparisons between the current and future states, such as noting that the security and passport control areas remain unchanged while the boarding facilities increase. The response covers all key aspects of the prompt effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure you include more specific data points from the visual, such as the exact number of gates or specific distances if provided, to further support your descriptions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, moving from an introduction and overview to a detailed comparison of the current and future layouts. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general summary from the specific details. Cohesive devices such as 'At present', 'After redevelopment', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader through the comparison. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. The referencing is generally clear, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'passenger pier', 'boarding facilities', and 'airport capacity'. There are a few minor errors, such as 'next near' (likely a typo for 'next year') and 'write branches' (a spelling error for 'right'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent a higher score. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and ensure careful proofreading to avoid simple spelling mistakes that detract from the professional tone of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'This will provide more gates and allow passenger to access a greater number aircraft.' There are some grammatical slips, such as the missing article in 'allow passenger to access a greater number [of] aircraft' and the punctuation error in 'pier., with'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles, and aim for more complex sentence constructions to demonstrate greater grammatical control.

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

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