Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01

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 map diagrams compare the layout of an airport now and after renovation after a year.

Overall, the building will undergo significant redevelopment. Traditional security, passport control, and customs will be remained the same, while there would be the addition of more gates, ATM, and car hire as well.

In present, there are eight gates, with walk-away surrounded by gates numbered 1 to 4. The central space is designated for security at the top left, with passport control directly below it, while there is another passport control at top right space and customs just below it. However, check-in is located at the west and the cafe is just in front of it. The departures and arrivals have one gate for each, position at

In future, the facility will witness extensive renovation, not only will the area expand but also there will be the addition of ten more gates with sky train will position at the middle. The area directly below sky train is empty, but will be occupied by shops. The location of security, passport control and customs will remain the same, while the check-in would be replaced by bag drop and the cafe by check-in. There would be two cafes , first one would be at just below bag drop nearby departures and another would be in arrivals section directly below the customs. ATM and car hire would be introduced in arrivals foyer.

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 introduction of new facilities like the sky train and shops. You clearly contrasted the 'now' and 'future' states. However, the response is slightly hampered by an incomplete sentence at the end of the second paragraph ('position at'), which leaves a gap in the information provided. Additionally, while you mention the addition of ten more gates, a more precise summary of the overall layout changes would have strengthened the response. Overall, you covered the key changes well, but ensure all sentences are completed to maintain clarity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs covering the present and future layouts. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In present', 'However', and 'In future' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and the aforementioned incomplete sentence. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two timeframes. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter') is used more effectively to connect ideas between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'designated', 'facility', and 'foyer'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'will be remained' (should be 'will remain') and 'with sky train will position' (should be 'with a sky train positioned'). While you attempt to use specific terminology related to airport layouts, some phrasing is slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that your word forms are grammatically correct within the context of the sentence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'not only will the area expand but also there will be the addition of...'. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('Traditional security... will be remained') and missing articles ('with sky train', 'at arrivals section'). The incomplete sentence at the end of the second paragraph is a significant error that affects the grammatical integrity of the response. Increasing your focus on proofreading for basic tense and article usage would significantly improve your score.

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