Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-25

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 maps compare the layouts of an airport today and how it will look after reconstruction in the following year.

Overall, the southwest airport is projected to undergo a significant renovation. Currently the airport has a simple structure but it will add more modern facilities and amenities next year.

At present, the airport has eight gates and two walkways on the left side. On the left side, a departure hall can be noticed where security and passport control areas are located, whereas on the right side, the arrival hall is located and it also consists passport control and customs area. Even though the arrival hall does not contain any facilities, the departure hall has a cafe on the right corner and a check-in counter on the left corner.

However, the number of gates is planned to increase to 18 post redevelopment. They will replace the walkways to sky trains in the middle and a more Y-shaped complex structure will be built. Meanwhile, the security and passport control areas in the departure hall and the passport control and customs area in the arrival hall will remain in the original places. However, in the departure hall side, shops will be included in front of the security area. Moreover, the arrival hall is set to incorporate new facilities such as, a cafe, ATM booth and car hire service. On the other hand, the departure hall will include a bag drop area in the former check-in counter location, which will be relocated in the cafe area. The cafe will be added in the bottom-left corner of the hall.

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, the introduction of sky trains, and the addition of new amenities. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with specific details from the maps. To reach a higher band, ensure you make more direct comparisons between the 'now' and 'next year' states rather than describing them in separate blocks. For instance, instead of listing the current facilities and then the future ones, you could contrast the specific changes in the arrival and departure halls more fluidly to highlight the transformation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'even though', 'however', and 'on the other hand' to link ideas. The progression of information is generally smooth. To improve, ensure that your referencing is precise; for example, when you mention 'the former check-in counter location', it is clear, but some transitions between sentences could be more varied to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to a coherent reading experience.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'reconstruction', 'projected', 'amenities', and 'incorporate'. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'on the departure hall side' or 'in the bottom-left corner of the hall', which sound slightly unnatural. However, your vocabulary is precise enough to convey the intended meaning clearly. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations related to spatial description, such as 'situated in the periphery' or 'undergoing a comprehensive overhaul', rather than relying on simpler descriptive phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'consists passport control' (should be 'consists of') and 'replace the walkways to sky trains' (should be 'replace the walkways with sky trains'). Despite these occasional errors, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. You show good control over punctuation and sentence construction. To move up, focus on increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences and refining your use of prepositions when describing locations on a map.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.