Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-25

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 map illustrates the site of a Southwest airport at present day and how it will look after redevelopment in the next year.

Overall, there will be expansion of the airport areas with installation of several gates as well as sections for bag drop, ATM, sky train, car hire, in the next year plan. However, some areas like security passport control and passport control customs will remain the same.

In present layout, there is only one cafe in the departures section at the eastern side and a check in counter at the western side of it. Likewise, there is walkway in the northern area, with total 8 gates in it.

In the proposed plan, in the northern area, there will be construction of 18 gates in total forming a Y-shaped designed, with installation of sky train in middle for transportation within the airport. Similarly, there is availabilty of shops beside the security passport control. Furthermore, to the south side of it, there will be a bag drop section as checkin section will be replaced to its east. There is addition of two cafe in departures and arrivals as well as more doors are added for entry and exit. Similarly, there will be car hiring available near the arrivals gate as well as ATM in northern side of it, below the cafe of passport control customs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover both the current and proposed layouts and give a clear overview of the main change: the concourse expands from eight gates to eighteen in a Y-shape, with new facilities added. Several details are accurately reported, including the sky train, shops, bag drop, ATM and car hire. This meets the task well, though some features are less fully or precisely described. For example, the current walkway and the new gate arrangement are mentioned, but the changes to the terminal’s internal layout could be compared more systematically. The statement that security and passport control will remain the same is not clearly supported by the plan, where shops are added beside this area. A more precise account of what stays unchanged, alongside the major additions and relocations, would strengthen the overview and detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph on the present layout and one on the proposed plan. This makes the comparison easy to follow, and time markers such as “at present” and “in the proposed plan” help orient the reader. However, progression within the final paragraph is less controlled: it moves from the concourse to shops, then back to the southern terminal and onward to arrivals, so the reader must track several locations at once. “Similarly” is also repeated for relationships that are not always parallel. Grouping details by area—concourse, departures, then arrivals—and using clearer location-based links would make cohesion more flexible and the sequence more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of map vocabulary, including “Y-shaped,” “installation,” “western side,” “replaced,” and “forming,” and the intended meaning is generally clear. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit precision. “At present day” is awkward, “forming a Y-shaped designed” is not a natural construction, and “car hiring available” does not clearly name the facility shown as car hire. “Availabilty” is misspelled, while “in middle” and “in northern side” are imprecise expressions. Aim for standard collocations such as “currently,” “Y-shaped layout,” and “a car-hire facility,” and check spelling. More precise vocabulary for locations and changes would help you describe the plans with greater control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including “as check-in section will be replaced” and “with installation of sky train in middle for transportation,” and the overall meaning remains understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles, prepositions and sentence construction. For instance, “there is only one cafe” would be more accurate as “there is only one café,” while “in middle” needs an article, and “at the eastern side” is less natural than “on the eastern side.” The phrase “there will be construction of 18 gates … forming a Y-shaped designed” also has an incomplete, awkward structure. Review articles and prepositions, and build longer sentences around clear subjects and verbs. This would improve accuracy while preserving your attempts at complex sentences.

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