Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29
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 6.0)
The diagram illustrates the comparison of an airport at present and after redevelopment in coming year.
Generally it is clear that Airport will be expanded and will include more facilities compared to present structure. While security passport control and passport control custom remain unchanged in a proposed plan.
Right now, on the departures side, the north-west corner holds a Check-in position while on the east side a cafe is located. On the other hand Arrivals side is empty. Further on the top of the airport there are 1-8 gates for walkway in a square shape.
In Redevelopment, there will be introduced various customer-friendly services. Departures will present Check-in, Bag drop and cafe facilities. In addition, there will be some shops above the departures centre.
On the arrival side there is a plan to introduce ATM and car hire service for visitors. On the other hand, an idea is to build the Y-shaped building connected with 18 gates and in between sky train can be seen.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have successfully identified the main features of the airport redevelopment, including the expansion of facilities and the change in gate layout. You provided a clear overview and made relevant comparisons between the current and future states. However, the response could be improved by being more precise with spatial descriptions. For example, you mention '1-8 gates' and '18 gates' without clearly explaining the shift from a square walkway to a Y-shaped terminal. Additionally, the description of the 'sky train' is a good observation, but more detail on the overall transformation of the terminal building would have strengthened the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, moving from an introduction to the current layout and then to the proposed changes. You use some cohesive devices like 'In addition' and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between describing the departures area and the arrivals area in the second paragraph is slightly abrupt. Improving the use of referencing (e.g., 'the former' or 'the latter') would help the reader follow your comparisons more easily.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the changes, such as 'redevelopment', 'customer-friendly', and 'facilities'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'passport control custom' is redundant and slightly confusing, and 'on the top of the airport' is not the most natural way to describe a map layout. To reach a higher band, try to use more precise terminology for architectural features and spatial relationships, such as 'terminal building', 'central concourse', or 'adjacent to'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the' airport, 'the' departures side) and awkward phrasing like 'in coming year' instead of 'in the coming year'. There are also some punctuation issues and minor errors in verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on article usage and consistent tense control for future predictions will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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