Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-14
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 two plans illustrates the current layout of the airport and how it will redeveloped next year.
Overall, the airport underwent a significant recreational which is more convenient for passengers. The number of gates will increases and several other facilties including shops, a cafe, an atm, a car hire services will be added. In additon, the sky train will be introduced to provide transport between the terminals and the gates.
To begin with, At present, the passengers enter the airport through main entrance and can access the security and passport control areas. The depatures section is located at the left side of airport, while the arrivals is on the right. There are eight gates,numbered 1 to 8 which are connected to a terminal through a walkway. A cafe is also available near the departure area.
On the other hand, the main terminal will remain at the same location, but a new shopping area will be constructed above it. The departure area will have a check-in facility and a cafe, while the arrival section will have a cafe, an atm, and a car-hire service. Moreover the existing walkway will be replace by a sky train, which will connect the terminal to the expanded gate areas.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The student successfully summarises the main features and makes relevant comparisons between the current and future layouts of Southwest Airport. Key changes, such as the addition of the sky train, new shopping areas, and the expansion of the gates, are clearly reported. The overview paragraph effectively highlights the overarching transformation, noting the increase in gates and facilities. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in detail reporting, such as stating the existing walkway will be replaced rather than extended or transformed into the sky train route. Overall, the response covers all parts of the prompt well and meets the criteria for Band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with a helpful introduction and overview, followed by separate paragraphs detailing the current layout and the proposed changes. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the 'now' and 'next year' stages. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'On the other hand' are employed to guide the reader through the comparison. However, some referencing and cohesive links are slightly mechanical or awkward, placing this response comfortably at Band 6.5 to 7.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe spatial layouts and changes, using terms like 'redevelopment', 'facilities', 'constructed', and 'expanded'. However, there are several lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'recreational' instead of 'reconfiguration' or 'renovation', and spelling mistakes like 'facilties', 'additon', and 'depatures'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, which prevents the score from reaching higher bands. The lexical profile reflects a Band 6.0 performance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses ('which is more convenient for passengers', 'which will connect the terminal'). However, there are several noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The two plans illustrates', 'The number of gates will increases'), missing prepositions, and tense inconsistencies ('how it will redeveloped'). Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, demonstrating control typical of a Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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