Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-21

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 6.0)

The plans illustrate the current condition of an airport and its projected layout after redevelopment next year.

Overall, the airport is expected to go through a major overhaul, with the addition of extra facilities to make it more convenient for the passengers.

The current airport has only single entrance and departures, but in the next year there will be two arrivals and departures for better management of the crowd. Currently, the left side has a check in and cafe. However, after the redevelopment there will be a bag drop in place of the check in, which will be moved to the right side and cafe will be placed adjacent to the bag drop zone. On the right side, the empty space there will be a cafe and an ATM booth for people to withdraw cash. A car hire section is expected to be constructed just at the right of the entrance.

Turning to the security passport control and customs section, the place will remain the same after the revamp as well. On the top section, which was totally empty will be added with shops. The biggest change however will be on the top of the airport, where the walkaway will be replaced with y-shaped sky train for better transportation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a clear overview of substantial redevelopment and describe several relevant changes, including the new bag-drop area, relocated check-in, added café and ATM, and car hire. However, some important details are inaccurate or unclear. The plans show one arrivals area and one departures area both before and after redevelopment, not “two arrivals and departures”; the security, passport-control and customs facilities are not described as remaining unchanged with certainty in the way stated. The walkway is not replaced by a Y-shaped sky train: the concourse itself is extended into a Y-shape, while a sky train runs along its central stem. The expansion from 8 to 18 gates is also a major feature that should be reported. More precise coverage of these changes would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by details about the terminal and then the upper concourse. Paragraphing helps distinguish the main stages, and transitions such as “Overall” and “Turning to” make the progression easy to follow. This is a coherent structure, though some connections between details are not fully clear. For example, “the left side has a check in and cafe” does not specify their separate positions, and “the empty space there” leaves the location of the new café and ATM somewhat vague. The final paragraph also groups the unchanged facilities, shops and concourse expansion without clearly distinguishing their relationships. More precise referencing and grouping by area would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “redevelopment,” “projected layout,” “adjacent,” and “constructed,” and the meaning is generally clear. However, several choices are imprecise or informal for describing a plan. “Two arrivals and departures” misrepresents the layout, while “ATM booth” and “section” are less exact than the labels and functions shown. “Walkaway” appears to be a spelling error for “walkway,” and “better management of the crowd” and “for better transportation” add purposes that the plans do not establish. Some phrases, such as “the place will remain the same,” are also vague. Aim for accurate spatial terms and neutral descriptions rather than inferred benefits.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast introduced by “However” and the clause beginning “where the walkaway will be replaced.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce precision. For example, “has only single entrance” needs an article, and “will be added with shops” is not a correct passive construction; write “shops will be added.” In “the empty space there will be a cafe and an ATM,” the sentence needs a clearer structure, such as “a café and an ATM will be added to the empty space.” Check articles, passive forms and sentence construction, especially when describing planned changes. These corrections would improve accuracy without sacrificing your range.

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