Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-22
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 compares the current development of airport with that of predicted plans to redesign next year.
Overall, Southwest airport is predicted to undergo advanced development with the addition of sky train, shops, ATM machine, bag drop facility, introduction of additional gates and car hire. However, only walkway has been replaced and some features have changed their positions.
Currently, the airport has only eight gates and people usually use walkway. In contrast, in future development the airport upper end is refurbished into Y-shape with the addition of ten more gates. Walkway will be replaced by sky train on the north side of the airport. After crossing the security passport control, shops will be added on the northwestern side of the airport.
After entering the departures, currently there is check-in on the left side and cafe on the right side of the airport. Compared to the predicted plan, cafe and check-in positions will be switched with one another and there is addition of bag drop on the left side of the airport. After crossing the immigration control centre, there is another cafe on the right side and an ATM machine just next to the cafeteria. Options for car hire will be available on the southeastern side of the airport for arrival passengers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The student covers all major features of the maps, successfully presenting an overview of the primary changes at Southwest Airport and supporting this with relevant details. The summary effectively contrasts the current layout with the predicted future plans, noting the expansion of the gates into a Y-shape, the addition of the sky train, shops, bag drop, and ATM, as well as the repositioning of existing amenities. However, the statement that 'only walkway has been replaced' is slightly inaccurate since other changes occur as well, but overall, the task is addressed well and the key spatial relationships are reported clearly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is arranged logically into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing the changes to the gates and the terminal building respectively. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the comparison, such as 'Overall', 'Currently', 'In contrast', and 'Compared to the predicted plan'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different areas of the airport. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and logical flow between sentences could be smoother in places, which prevents the essay from reaching higher band thresholds.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating specific terms related to airport layouts and renovations, such as 'refurbished', 'immigration control centre', and 'southeastern side'. There are some successful attempts at less common vocabulary, though certain word choices and collocations are slightly unnatural, such as 'current development of airport' instead of 'current layout of the airport' and 'ATM machine'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing introductory prepositional phrases and comparative structures effectively (e.g., 'Compared to the predicted plan, cafe and check-in positions will be switched'). There are some minor grammatical errors and missing articles, such as 'with the addition of sky train' instead of 'a sky train' and 'arrival passengers' instead of 'arriving passengers'. Nevertheless, the majority of sentences are clear and communicate the intended message without impeding understanding.
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.