Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-30

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 first plan demonstrates the design of an airport site at present along with the second plan illustrating the desired design of the same airport site after reconstruction next year.

Comparison between the designs show that the check-in counter would be replaced by a new feature, the bag drop counter and the check-in counter would be relocated next to the location where there is cafe at present. The cafe would be doubled with one located next to the bag drop counter on the right side corner and the other next to the passport control customs along with an atm and a car hire next to it. Another new feature would be the shops located between gate 1 and the security passport control.

Moreover, the number of gates would be increased from 8 to the total of 18 gates in the upcoming design. In addition, the walkway would be replace by a sky train and the arrival and departure gates would be doubled.

Apart from these changings security passport control and passport control customs remain on the same location.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student attempts to address the prompt by describing the changes between the two airport plans. However, there are notable inaccuracies and misreadings of the visual data. For instance, the text claims that the check-in counter is relocated next to the cafe at present, whereas the map shows check-in moving to the inner wall adjacent to arrivals, and the walkway is replaced by a sky train rather than the arrival and departure gates being doubled. Additionally, the overview lacks a clear summary of the most prominent overall transformations, such as the major expansion of the concourse from a straight shape with 8 gates to a Y-shaped structure with 18 gates. Because key features are misreported and the summary remains somewhat partial, this performance aligns with Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a basic overarching structure, beginning with an introductory sentence that paraphrases the prompt. However, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, with single-sentence paragraphs such as 'Apart from these changings security passport control and passport control customs remain on the same location.' The progression of ideas is occasionally disjointed, and cohesive devices are somewhat mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'In addition', 'Apart from these changings'). Reference words are sometimes vague, making it harder to follow the spatial relationships between the various airport facilities. Overall, the organization is coherent enough to follow the general narrative, but cohesion lacks flexibility and precision, fitting the Band 6 descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to maps and airport infrastructure such as 'reconstruction', 'relocated', 'concourse', and 'security passport control'. However, there are noticeable word choice and lexical errors, such as using 'changings' instead of 'changes' or 'unchanged', and minor awkwardness in phrasing like 'the cafe would be doubled'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but accuracy is inconsistent. Spelling is generally fine, but the overall lexical control falls into the Band 5.5 to 6.0 range, where vocabulary is minimally adequate yet limited by awkward collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing modal verbs and conditional-style descriptions for future changes (e.g., 'would be replaced by', 'would be increased'). However, grammatical control is compromised by recurring errors, including subject-verb agreement issues and awkward prepositional phrases (e.g., 'Comparison between the designs show', 'remain on the same location' instead of 'at the same location'). Punctuation is also occasionally weak, lacking commas where necessary to separate clauses. While communication is not severely impeded, the frequency of grammatical slips places this response firmly at Band 6.0.

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

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