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 plans illustrate an airport maps showing current site of the airport and how it will change after the development planned for the next year.

Overall, the plan aims for the airport to be bigger than it is now and to develop the range of offered services.

According to the plans, the most noticeable change in the departures zone is the expansion of the gate section. At the moment there are 8 gates at the southwest airport, and the redevelopment plans show 10 new gates planned, as well as sky train to travel between them. What is more, just after the security and the passport control, new plan shows range of shops planned, which is a huge addition in comparison to the current plan. Where check-in is now, there is going to be new bag drop point next year, and check-in point will be moved to the other side of the departure zone. In the south-western corner, will be located the new cafe.

Turning to the arrivals zone, the new cafe will be located just after corssing the customs. Next to the cafe there will be new ATM and just around the corner there is a new car hire zone planned.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main direction of change: the airport will expand and offer additional services, and you cover both departures and arrivals. Several details are accurately reported, including the increase from 8 gates and the addition of shops, a sky train, an ATM and car hire. This gives the response a clear overview and relevant comparisons. However, the gate expansion is misreported: the plan shows 18 gates in total, not 10 new gates, and the train runs along the central stem rather than simply “between them.” Some locations are also imprecise, such as saying the arrivals café is just after customs. To strengthen the response, report the overall gate total and describe the Y-shaped concourse and key locations more precisely; these details would make the coverage more complete and developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into a brief introduction, an overview, and separate descriptions of departures and arrivals. This creates a clear progression, and signposts such as “According to the plans” and “Turning to the arrivals zone” help the reader follow the comparison. The information within the departures paragraph is also generally sequenced by area and change. Some linking is less controlled: “What is more” and “Where check-in is now” connect ideas somewhat mechanically, and the latter begins an incomplete or awkwardly attached clause. The overview could also preview the most important structural changes, rather than only stating that the airport will be bigger and offer more services. More precise links between the old and new layouts would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of airport-related vocabulary, including “departures zone,” “passport control,” “gate section,” “bag drop point,” and “car hire zone.” These terms make the main changes understandable, and phrases such as “in comparison to the current plan” show an attempt to describe change and contrast. However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural, including “airport maps,” “range of offered services,” and “new gates planned.” There is also a spelling error in “corssing.” Repetition of “new” and “planned” limits flexibility, while “huge addition” is less formal than ideal for an academic report. Aim for more precise map-description vocabulary and natural collocations, while checking spelling and avoiding repeated general terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple statements and more complex forms, including “how it will change after the development planned for the next year” and “Where check-in is now, there is going to be…”. Most meanings remain clear, but some grammatical errors recur. The opening has a number mismatch in “an airport maps,” and “the current site” needs an article. In “as well as sky train,” the noun phrase needs an article, while “In the south-western corner, will be located the new cafe” has an awkward word order and lacks a clear subject. The sentence beginning “Where check-in is now” is also not smoothly integrated. Review articles, agreement, and sentence construction, and use a wider range of accurately controlled structures to make the description more fluent.

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