Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-15

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 plan illustrated the current layout of the southwest airport and proposed changes that will be made after redevelopment next year.

overall, the southwest airport will undergo significant expansion, with gate number increasing from 8 to 18. several new facilities will be introduced to improve inconvenience for passengers.

at present, the airport has 8 gates connected to the terminal by walkway. the terminal is divided into departures and arrival areas. security and passport control are provided for departing passengers, while passport control and customs are available for arrivals section. moreover, airport also has check-in and cafe.

after redevelopment gate area expanded considerably, and the existing walkway will be replaced by larger structure with branching design. a sky train will be introduced to transport passengers to the gate. in addition, bag drop facility, Atm and a car hire will be added to the terminal. the existing check-in facility, cafe, security, passport control, customs will remain same.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main transformation clearly: the airport expands from eight gates to eighteen, and the straight walkway becomes a branching concourse with a sky train. You also cover changes to terminal facilities, including bag drop and car hire, while noting that some existing services remain. This gives the response a relevant overview and addresses both time periods. However, several important changes are only partly reported: shops are omitted, and the new café and ATM in Arrivals are not distinguished from the existing café. The claim that security, passport control and customs “will remain same” is also too broad, since the plan shows their locations but does not clearly establish that all are unchanged. More precise coverage of these details would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence: an introduction, an overview, a description of the current airport, and then the redevelopment. This progression makes the comparison easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “at present,” “moreover,” and “after redevelopment” help signal the stages. The overview also prepares the reader for the main contrast between the existing eight-gate layout and the expanded design. Cohesion is generally effective, though some information is compressed into broad lists, particularly the final sentence naming facilities that “will remain same.” Grouping changes by area—concourse, Departures, and Arrivals—would create smoother links and make the spatial comparison more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of task-related vocabulary, including “significant expansion,” “branching design,” “facility,” and “redevelopment.” These choices communicate the main changes, and the response is generally understandable. However, some wording is imprecise or does not fit the intended meaning: “improve inconvenience” suggests making inconvenience worse, while “gate area expanded considerably” is less exact than describing the concourse as extended. “Cafe” and “Atm” also show inconsistent or incorrect capitalisation, and “remain same” is an awkward phrase. Aim for more precise map vocabulary and natural collocations, especially when describing new services and their locations. This would improve clarity without requiring a much wider vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the overview clause “with gate number increasing from 8 to 18” and the contrast between services for departing and arriving passengers. Most meanings remain clear, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the plan illustrated” shifts into the past even though the task describes a current plan and a future redevelopment; “gate area expanded” needs an auxiliary or passive form; and “the existing check-in facility … will remain same” is missing “the” before “same.” There are also article and number issues in “airport also has check-in and cafe” and “arrivals section.” Check tense consistency and articles, and proofread sentence endings and punctuation.

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