Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24

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 diagram illustrates some changes to the southwest airport which are to be developed over the next year.

It is clear that the airport will change considerably after the redevelopment, and various new features will be seen as shown in the second diagram. The main development is that the airport will have more facilities and will be accessible to more people.

Looking at the maps in more detail, we can see that the number of gates has increased from 8 to 18 which will facilitate people especially during rush hours. Furthermore, the walkway has been replaced with a sky train to help individuals board their flights faster. Before the development the place had no shops, but now, the plan includes retail stores just near the security checkpoint so travelers can buy food or other items.

As well as the amenities mentioned above, the new airport will also include an ATM to withdraw cash as well as a car hire allowing individuals to rent cars or get taxis just as they leave the airport. The cafe is also conveniently right next to the bag drop off location so travelers can sit down after dropping their bags off. Finally, the gates at departure and arrival have both increased to twice their original amount giving more space to move around.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the airport redevelopment well. You have successfully identified the key changes, such as the increase in gates, the introduction of a sky train, and the addition of new amenities like retail stores and an ATM. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the transformation. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise. For instance, you mention the gates increased from 8 to 18, which is excellent, but ensure that all spatial descriptions are accurate based on the visual data provided. The report is well-structured and addresses the prompt effectively by highlighting the most significant changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from an introduction to specific details. Paragraphing is used effectively to group related information, such as the transport changes in one paragraph and the new amenities in another. Cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'As well as', and 'Finally' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, and the flow of information is easy to follow throughout the text. To improve, try to vary the cohesive devices further to create a more natural, sophisticated flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the changes clearly. Words and phrases like 'redevelopment', 'amenities', 'conveniently', and 'facilitate' are used appropriately. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which adds precision to your description. However, the range is somewhat limited, and some phrasing could be more sophisticated. For example, instead of 'the place had no shops', a more formal academic tone would be 'the original layout lacked retail facilities'. Overall, the vocabulary is accurate and does not impede communication, but expanding your repertoire of descriptive verbs and nouns would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are infrequent and do not impede understanding. You have used complex structures, such as 'which will facilitate people especially during rush hours' and 'so travelers can buy food', effectively. There are minor issues with punctuation and article usage, but these are not systematic. To achieve a higher band, aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice constructions or conditional clauses, to demonstrate greater control over your writing.

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

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