Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-17

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 4.0)

after seems the site now is looks like very simple and limited things in the south west airport

starting from entry gate now8 gates for entry in departures now we have check-in and cafe only and arrival we have now only limited thing like walk in and limited gates

after redevelopment we have 18 gates plus

in departures we will have 1)shops 2)bag drop 3)check-in 4) cafe

in arrival we will have

cafe

Atm

also care hire to hire a care for luggage and passenger

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the main contrast that the airport expands from 8 gates to 18, and you mention several planned additions, including shops, bag drop, an ATM and car hire. However, the response only minimally summarises the plans: it gives almost no accurate comparison of the existing and future layouts, and some details are unclear or incorrect. For example, the current arrivals area is described as having “limited gates,” although the gates are in the concourse, while the future shops are not clearly located. The overview of the major Y-shaped concourse extension and central sky train is also missing. The response is 85 words, below the required 150, so there is not enough detail to cover the key features. Organise the summary around the main structural changes and the terminal facilities that move or are added.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to separate the present situation from the redevelopment, using phrases such as “now” and “after redevelopment.” The list of future facilities also gives the reader a simple way to identify some changes. However, ideas are not arranged into a clear, coherent summary: the opening is difficult to follow, the current arrivals description is incomplete, and the final section ends abruptly. The numbered list and isolated lines (“cafe / Atm”) do not explain how the areas compare or connect. Use a short introduction and overview, followed by one paragraph on the current layout and another on the planned changes. Linking phrases such as “whereas,” “in addition,” and “by contrast” would help show relationships between features.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

Your vocabulary is basic but includes several relevant airport terms, such as “check-in,” “gates,” “bag drop,” “ATM” and “car hire.” These help communicate the general subject. However, the range is repetitive, and some expressions are imprecise or awkward, including “limited things,” “walk in,” and “care hire to hire a care.” The repeated use of “we have” also limits the descriptive style. Choose precise terms for locations and changes, such as “concourse,” “terminal,” “is added,” and “is relocated.” Check spelling and word forms carefully, especially “car” rather than “care,” and use consistent capitalisation for labels. More accurate location vocabulary would make the comparison clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

The response relies mainly on short, simple clauses and list fragments, so it shows very limited sentence variety. Frequent errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “after seems the site now is looks like” combines incompatible verb forms, while “starting from entry gate now8 gates for entry in departures” lacks a clear grammatical structure. Articles and sentence boundaries are also often missing, as in “in arrival we will have / cafe / Atm.” Try writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use accurate present and future forms to distinguish the two plans. For example: “The current terminal has eight gates, while the redevelopment will increase this number to eighteen.” Punctuate and capitalise each sentence consistently.

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