Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-07

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 two layouts illustrate the blueprint of an airport currently and its redevelopment plan for the next year.

Overall, the original layout will remain the same, apart from minor construction. However, there will be the addition of many facilities at the southwest airport. Futuristic options of a larger dock, an ATM, a sky train, car hire, and a bag drop will be available for the people.

Currently, the airport has a security passport control office in the departure section, where passengers check in and take tea from the cafe. The passport control customs take care of the arrival section. Above that, there is a walkway for passengers to board on the airplane.

The next year's redevelopment plan includes the addition of a larger dock for planes. In between that, a sky train will replace the walkways.

Inclusion of new shops is also considered in the plans. In the security passport control office of the departures section, the location of a cafe will be changed, and a bag drop facility will be added in addition to check-in. The arrivals section will be expanded with a car hire, along with another cafe, and an ATM facility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main change—the expansion of the gate area—and several new facilities, including shops, a sky train, bag drop, car hire and an additional café. The overview also recognises that the terminal gains amenities. However, some key details are inaccurate or unclear: the original walkway is not replaced by the sky train, which runs centrally along the extended concourse, and the “larger dock” is not a feature shown; the concourse is extended into a Y-shape and its gates increase from 8 to 18. The description of the current departure area also places security/passport control there, whereas the plan shows it before the gates. More precise comparisons of the changed locations, especially check-in and the cafés, would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall sequence: an introduction, an overview, a description of the current airport and then the redevelopment. This makes the comparison easy to follow, and phrases such as “Currently” and “The next year's redevelopment plan” signal the stages. The paragraphing is appropriate and the main points are grouped sensibly. To make the progression more consistently clear, connect related changes by area rather than listing facilities in broad terms. For example, the final paragraph could move from departures to the concourse and then arrivals. Some references, such as “In between that,” are difficult to follow, and “Above that” does not clearly identify the feature being described. More precise linking and referencing would strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of topic vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “passport control,” “bag drop,” “car hire” and “ATM.” These terms help communicate the airport changes, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing a plan. “Larger dock” misidentifies the expanded concourse, while “futuristic options” and “take tea” do not fit the intended meaning. “The location of a cafe will be changed” is understandable but could be expressed more precisely by naming its new position. Aim for accurate map vocabulary and natural collocations, such as “concourse,” “facilities will be added,” and “the café will be relocated.” This would improve precision without requiring more elaborate wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the overview contrast “will remain the same, apart from…” and the relative clause “where passengers check in.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and future forms are generally appropriate when describing the planned redevelopment. Some grammatical choices are less controlled: “The next year's redevelopment plan” has an awkward possessive construction, and “In between that” leaves the relationship between features unclear. The sentence beginning “In the security passport control office…” also has a long, unclear structure that makes it difficult to tell which area is being discussed. Use clearer sentence boundaries and explicit subjects—for example, “In departures, the café will move…”—while continuing to vary sentence structures.

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