Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-14

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 6.5)

The diagrams illustrate how SouthWest airport looks currently and how it will look like after re- development by next year.

Overall, it is obvious that there is going to be a massive upgrade of the airport. Gate areas will increase considerably, with the creation of shops in between.

Currently, Southwest airline have an arrival area and a departure terminal, however, from the departure area, there is a check-in point at the left hand side and a functional cafe at the right hand side, both exists before the security passport control zone. On the other hand, arrival has a completely empty space to the passport control custom zone. Both zones leads to the 8 gates via a strict walkway by the side.

In future, there will be a car hire service at the bottom right corner of the arrival area, which was previously empty. This will be followed by tan atm stand just above, with a new cafe area also built above the atm stand. Furthermore, at the departure end, the cafe at the top will be moved to the left bottom side with a bag drop space at the top left corner. Hence, the check-in space will be moved to the top right corner from the left side. A shop will be constructed inbetween the security passport control and the gates. Consequently the gates will be increased from 8 to 18 functional gate with a walk way Inbetween the gates.

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 gates and the addition of new facilities. You provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between the current and future layouts. However, the description of the spatial changes is occasionally confusing; for example, describing the movement of the check-in and cafe areas requires more precise directional language to be fully clear to the reader. To reach a higher band, ensure that the spatial relationships are described with greater clarity and that all significant changes, such as the reconfiguration of the walkway, are highlighted more explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the current and future states. You use cohesive devices such as 'on the other hand,' 'furthermore,' and 'consequently' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally ambiguous, particularly when describing the movement of facilities. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two timeframes. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the progression of information flows more naturally between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment,' 'functional,' and 'reconfiguration' (implied). There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'strict walkway' (which is not a standard description for a corridor) and 'tan atm stand' (which is likely a typo or misuse). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Incorporating more specific terminology related to airport infrastructure would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Southwest airline have,' 'both exists,' 'Both zones leads') and punctuation errors (e.g., 'inbetween,' 'walk way Inbetween'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and consistent capitalization. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will also help you achieve a higher band.

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

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