Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18
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 given two maps compare the layout of southwest airport at present and following proposed development work.
it can be clearly seen that, the airport will be significantly expanded. the number of gates will more than double, and new facilities such as sky train, bag drop, atm, and car hire will be added. in addition, shops will be introduced and the arrivals area will be enlarged.
regarding the departures area, the check-in desk will remained, but bag drop facility will be added next to it. the cafe will also remain in the same location. the most noticeable change is the expansion of the gate area from 8 gates to 18 gates. the 8 current gates, connected by 2 walkways, will be replaced by a y-shaped pier with a sky train running through the middle to connect all gates.
in terms of arrivals, the passport control and customs areas will stay in place. however, several new facilities will be added including an atm, car hire, and an additional cafe. the arrivals hall itself will also be extend to the right. shops will be newly built between the security and gate areas.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response effectively addresses the task by summarizing the main features of the airport redevelopment. You have successfully identified the key changes, such as the expansion of the gate area and the introduction of new facilities. The overview provided in the first paragraph is clear and sets the stage well. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully developed; for instance, you mentioned the arrivals hall will be extended but could have specified the direction or relative scale more precisely. Overall, the response covers all parts of the prompt well and provides a clear, logical summary of the visual information.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from an introduction to specific details about departures and arrivals. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate these distinct areas of the airport. You use cohesive devices such as 'in addition', 'regarding', and 'in terms of' to guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to integrate sentences more fluidly to avoid a list-like structure. The referencing is generally clear, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow throughout the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'significantly expanded', and 'introduced'. There is an attempt to use specific terminology related to airport infrastructure. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing. For example, 'will remained' is a grammatical error that also affects lexical precision. To achieve a higher score, aim for more sophisticated collocations and avoid repeating basic verbs like 'added' or 'remain'. Expanding your repertoire of descriptive verbs and nouns related to spatial changes would enhance the precision of your report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips that prevent a higher score. For instance, 'the check-in desk will remained' should be 'will remain', and 'the arrivals hall itself will also be extend' should be 'will also be extended'. Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary comma after 'seen that'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest that your control over complex structures needs more consistency and attention to detail.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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