Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-10

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 7.0)

The diagrams show the current blueprint of SOUTHWEST AIRPORT as well as its expected layout after reconstruction in the following year.

Overall, the airport is predicted to expand as well as encapsulate various facilities such as bag drop, ATM, sky train, car hire and so on in addition to a preexisting Cafe and check-in area. Likewise, the number of gates will increase from 8 to 18 and so will the area accommodating them in the North direction. This expansion will be Y-shaped as compared to the current rectangle shaped gate arrangement. Thus, for easy accessibility of gates at farther distances, the walkway will be replaced by the sky train which would stretch comparatively longer.

Despite renovation, there will be no change in the location of the departures, arrivals, security check, passport control and custom department. However, the number of entrance at departures and arrivals will double. There will be shops available right after the security check and 1 additional Cafe in the arrival area too.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main transformation clearly: the gate area grows from 8 to 18 gates and changes from a rectangular layout to a Y-shaped one, with a sky train replacing the walkway. You also note several new facilities and the continued positions of the main airport sections. This gives a relevant overview and addresses the key comparison. However, some details are inaccurate or too general: the entrances are not shown as doubling, and the shops are positioned between Departures and the concourse rather than simply “right after the security check.” The response also omits notable changes such as the relocated check-in, bag drop, and car-hire area. More precise reporting of these changes would make the account more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into a clear introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing changes to the terminal, so the reader can follow the comparison. The overview effectively groups the expansion of the gates and the new facilities, while “Despite renovation” signals a contrast between unchanged and altered features. Linking expressions such as “Likewise,” “However,” and “too” help connect ideas. At times, though, the progression is compressed: the final paragraph moves from unchanged facilities to entrances and then to shops and a café without a clear spatial sequence. Grouping details by Departures, Arrivals, and the concourse would make the organisation more systematic and the comparisons easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied range of task-related vocabulary, including “blueprint,” “reconstruction,” “Y-shaped,” “accessibility,” and “accommodating,” and the main meaning remains clear. Some less common choices show an attempt to be precise, but several are not natural in this context: “encapsulate various facilities” does not mean that facilities are added, and “custom department” is an awkward label for Customs. “Preexisting Cafe” and “additional Cafe” also repeat a basic term, while “farther distances” is less natural than describing gates as farther away. To strengthen this area, favour accurate map-description collocations and use consistent terms for airport features; this would build on the range already demonstrated while improving precision and naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the contrastive opening “Despite renovation” and the relative clause “which would stretch comparatively longer.” Most sentences communicate their intended meaning, and the overview is generally controlled. A few grammatical choices remain inaccurate or awkward: “the number of entrance … will double” needs plural agreement (“entrances”), and “the area accommodating them in the North direction” has an unclear grammatical relationship between the area and its location. The phrase “the location of the departures, arrivals” also uses articles and labels inconsistently. Review plural agreement, article use, and sentence phrasing, especially when describing positions, to make the complex sentences consistently clear.

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